matter
/ˈmætɚ/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.38 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An affair, condition, or subject, especially one of concern or (especially when preceded by the) one that is problematic.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Legal services provided by a lawyer or firm to their client in relation to a particular issue.
Countable
Example Sentences
- "vegetable matter"
- "He always took some reading matter with him on the plane."
- "Something is the matter with him."
- "The diplomats met to discuss state matters."
- "So in many armies, if the matter ſhould bee tried by duell betvvene tvvo Champions, the victory ſhould goe on the one ſide, & yet if it be tried by the groſſe, it vvould goe on the other ſide: for excellencies goe as it vvere by chance, but kinds goe by a more certaine Nature, as by Diſcipline in vvarre."
- "Son of God, Saviour of men! Thy name / Shall be the copious matter of my song."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méh₂tēr Proto-Italic *mātēr Latin māter Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia ▲ Ancient Greek ὕλη (húlē)sl. Latin māteriader. Anglo-Norman materebor. Middle English matere English matter From Middle English matere, mater, from Anglo-Norman matere, materie, from Old French materie, matiere, from Latin māteria (“wood”), from māter (“mother”), in which case cognate with Old Armenian մայր (mayr, “cedar”) and մայրի (mayri, “forest”). Doublet of Madeira, mata, mater, matrix, and mother. Displaced Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter”), from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material”), Old English intinga (“matter, affair, business”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: matere, materie, māteria
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈmætɚ/
- British English: /ˈmætə/