# mat

/ˈmæt/ (US) · /mˈæt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mat
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. floor covering

noun · CEFR A1

a flat piece of material used for wiping your feet or covering a floor.

For teachers: a flat piece of coarse material, such as fabric or rubber, used as a floor covering or for cleaning footwear.

- Please wipe your muddy boots on the mat before you come inside.
- The heavy-duty rubber mat at the entrance successfully trapped most of the grit and moisture brought in by the morning commuters.

### 2. protective surface

noun · CEFR A2

a small piece of material used to protect a table from hot plates or drinks.

For teachers: a small, flat piece of material, such as cork or plastic, placed under objects to protect a surface from heat, moisture, or scratches.

- Put a mat under that hot coffee cup so you do not burn the wood.
- The host provided decorative cork mats to ensure the antique mahogany table remained protected from the heat of the serving dishes.

### 3. sports pad

noun · CEFR B1

a thick pad on the floor to protect athletes when they fall.

For teachers: a padded floor covering designed to absorb impact and protect athletes during gymnastics, wrestling, or martial arts.

- The gymnast landed safely on the thick blue mat after her routine.
- Safety regulations require high-density foam mats to be placed beneath all apparatus to mitigate the risk of injury during falls.

### 4. tangled mess

noun · CEFR B2

a thick, messy knot of hair or fur.

For teachers: a densely tangled or knotted mass of hair, fur, or fibrous vegetation.

- The stray dog had several painful mats in its long fur.
- Neglect had allowed the cat's coat to develop severe mats that required professional grooming to remove without damaging the skin.

### 5. picture border

noun · CEFR B2

a decorative border, usually made of cardboard, placed around a picture in a frame.

For teachers: a piece of cardboard or similar material used as a decorative border between a picture and its frame.

- The white mat makes the colours in the photograph look much brighter.
- The framer suggested a charcoal mat to complement the dark tones of the original charcoal sketch.

Usage: Often spelled 'matte' in American English.

### 7. to become tangled

verb · CEFR B2

to become twisted together into a thick, messy knot.

For teachers: to become densely tangled or interwoven into a thick mass; often used regarding hair or fibres.

- If you don't brush your hair after swimming, it will mat together.
- The damp wool began to mat during the washing process, ruining the texture of the expensive sweater.

### 8. dull surface

adjective · CEFR B2

having a surface that is not shiny.

For teachers: having a dull or lustreless surface that does not reflect light.

- She preferred a mat finish for the walls rather than a shiny one.
- The photographer opted for a mat paper to reduce glare and emphasise the subtle textures of the landscape.

Usage: Commonly spelled 'matte' in most contexts.

## Examples

- Please wipe your feet on the mat before coming inside.
- She unrolled her yoga mat in the corner of the studio to prepare for the morning class.
- The entrance was flanked by a heavy coir mat designed to withstand high foot traffic while preventing moisture from damaging the polished hardwood floors of the lobby.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.