What does material mean?
Material is a versatile word that can refer to the physical substance used to make an object, the information or evidence relevant to a subject, or the equipment and components needed for an activity. As an adjective, it describes something that is important, relevant, or consequential, especially when it affects an outcome: a material change, a material concern, or material evidence. The noun can be countable when referring to types or supplies of substances, as in 'building materials,' and uncountable when referring to substance in general. The word is common in formal, technical, and everyday contexts, although 'materials' in the sense of supplies can sound more technical or institutional. Its usefulness lies in connecting practical substance and information with ideas of importance and relevance, while its several related meanings can sometimes make a nearby word such as 'matter' preferable for clarity.
The physical substance or matter of which something is made, or the ingredients, components, information, or supplies used in a particular activity.
"The artist combined several different materials in the final design."
The word is commonly countable when it refers to particular substances or supplies, as in 'raw materials,' and uncountable when it refers to physical matter in general.
Important, relevant, or consequential; consisting of or relating to physical matter.
"The committee considered the proposal's material impact on the budget."
When describing physical matter, 'material' is often contrasted with 'spiritual' or 'immaterial'; when describing importance, it is commonly used with words such as 'change,' 'difference,' 'impact,' and 'concern.'
Use the plural when referring to multiple substances, supplies, or components, especially in technical or practical contexts; 'material' is generally uncountable when referring to matter in general.
"The workshop provided all the materials needed for the exercise."
The word 'material' can name the physical substance of a thing, the information behind it, or its importance: in all three cases, it means something that can be made relevant or consequential.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of material
The English word material comes through Old French from Latin materialis, 'of or pertaining to matter.' The Latin adjective was derived from materia, meaning 'matter, substance, or material,' a word associated etymologically with mater, 'mother,' probably in the sense of the matter or substance from which something develops. The English adjective meaning 'important' developed from the older sense of having a close connection to the subject or issue at hand, and later came to mean consequential or significant. Related forms include maternal and maternity, while materiality and immateriality reflect the Latin-derived opposition between physical existence and immaterial existence.
Related word forms
How material is actually used
The adjective is often used before a noun, as in 'material difference' or 'material damage.' In British English, 'materiel' is sometimes used for supplies or equipment, especially in military or technical contexts, and is not normally pronounced in the same way as 'material.'
Easily confused with material
Material usually refers to the substance or information being used or considered, whereas matter more often refers to a subject of concern or an issue, though the two words overlap in the sense of physical substance.
Material is the general English word for substance, whereas materiel is a formal term for the equipment and supplies needed for a particular activity, especially military activity.