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matter

n.
US //ˈmætɝ// UK //mˈætɐ// mat·ter
  1. 1 a situation or subject (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a situation, subject, or problem that you are discussing or dealing with.

    a subject under consideration or a situation that is problematic or of concern.

    Example

    I will discuss this matter with my manager during our meeting tomorrow.

    Example

    The committee spent several hours debating the matter of budget allocations before reaching a final consensus.
  2. 2 physical substance (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    the physical stuff that everything in the universe is made of.

    physical substance in general, as distinct from mind and spirit; in physics, that which occupies space and possesses rest mass.

    Example

    The universe is made up of matter and energy.

    Example

    Dark matter remains one of the most significant mysteries in modern astrophysics because it does not emit or reflect light.
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  1. 3 legal case (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    a specific legal case or piece of work handled by a lawyer.

    a specific legal case or transaction handled by a legal professional on behalf of a client.

    Example

    The lawyer is currently working on several different legal matters.

    Example

    The firm was disqualified from the matter due to a potential conflict of interest involving a former partner.
  2. 4 approximate amount (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a small or specific amount of something, like time or distance.

    an approximate amount or quantity, typically used with 'of' to indicate a small scale.

    Example

    The whole repair was finished in a matter of minutes.

    Example

    It is simply a matter of time before the market recovers from the recent economic downturn.
Origin

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”).

Idioms6 entries

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