matter

matter
noun
1》 physical substance or material in general; (in physics) that which occupies space and possesses mass, especially as distinct from energy.
    ↘a particular substance: organic matter.
2》 an affair or situation under consideration; a topic.
    ↘(matters) the present state of affairs.
3》 [usu. with negative or in questions] (the matter) the reason for a problem: what's the matter?
4》 written or printed material.
    ↘Printing the body of a printed work, as distinct from titles, headings, etc.
5》 Logic the particular content of a proposition, as distinct from its form.
6》 Law something which is to be tried or proved in court; a case.
verb
1》 be important or significant.
2》 US (of a wound) secrete or discharge pus.
Phrases
for that matter used to indicate that a subject, though mentioned second, is as relevant as the first.
in the matter of as regards.
a matter of
1》 (of time) no more than: they were shown the door in a matter of minutes.
2》 a question of.
a matter of course the natural or expected thing.
a matter of record a thing that is established as a fact through being officially recorded.
no matter
1》 regardless of.
2》 it is of no importance.
Word History
Matter entered English via Old French, from the Latin word materia, meaning 'timber, substance' or 'subject of discourse'. It comes ultimately from mater, the Latin for 'mother', and many other English words derive from this same root, including maternal, matrimony, and material.

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Matter — • Taking the term in its widest sense, matter signifies that out of which anything is made or composed Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Matter     Matter      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • matter — mat·ter n 1: a subject of consideration, disagreement, or litigation: as a: a legal case, dispute, or issue a matter within the court s jurisdiction often used in titles of legal proceedings matter of Doe see also in re b …   Law dictionary

  • Matter — Mat ter, n. [OE. matere, F. mati[ e]re, fr. L. materia; perh. akin to L. mater mother. Cf. {Mother}, {Madeira}, {Material}.] 1. That of which anything is composed; constituent substance; material; the material or substantial part of anything; the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • matter — n 1 Matter, substance, material, stuff are comparable when they mean what goes into the makeup or forms the being of a thing whether physical or not. In the relevant sense matter basically denotes that of which all physical objects are made, but… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • matter — ► NOUN 1) physical substance or material in general, as distinct from mind and spirit; (in physics) that which occupies space and possesses mass. 2) an affair or situation under consideration; a topic. 3) (the matter) the reason for a problem. 4) …   English terms dictionary

  • matter — [mat′ər] n. [ME matiere < OFr < L materia, material, stuff, wood (< base of mater, MOTHER1), orig., the growing trunk of a tree] 1. what a thing is made of; constituent substance or material 2. what all (material) things are made of;… …   English World dictionary

  • Matter — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Bernhard Matter (1821–1854), Schweizer Krimineller, erwähnt in einem Lied von Mani Matter Franz Matter (1931–1999), Schweizer Schauspieler und Regisseur Herbert Matter (1907–1984), Schweizer Fotograf und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • matter — [n1] substance amount, being, body, constituents, corporeality, corporeity, element, entity, individual, material, materialness, object, phenomenon, physical world, protoplasm, quantity, stuff, substantiality, sum, thing; concepts 407,433,470 Ant …   New thesaurus

  • Matter — Mat ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Mattered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Mattering}.] 1. To be of importance; to import; to signify. [1913 Webster] It matters not how they were called. Locke. [1913 Webster] 2. To form pus or matter, as an abscess; to maturate.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Matter — Mat ter, v. t. To regard as important; to take account of; to care for. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] He did not matter cold nor hunger. H. Brooke. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Matter — Matter, Jacques, geb. 1791 zu Alteckendorf im Elsaß, wurde 1819 Professor der Geschichte in Strasburg, 1821 Gymnasialdirector u. Professor der Geschichte an der dortigen protestantischen Akademie, 1831 Inspector der Akademie u. 1832… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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