matter
//ˈmætə//
Forms
- Plural
- matters
- present (v1)
- matter
- past (v2)
- mattered
- past participle (v3)
- mattered
- present participle
- mattering
- 3rd person singular
- matters
Definitions
1.Material; substance.
- He always took some reading matter with him on the plane.
2.An affair, condition, or subject, especially one of concern or (especially when preceded by the) one that is problematic.
- Something is the matter with him.
- The diplomats met to discuss state matters.
3.An approximate amount or extent.
- I stayed for a matter of months.
- No small matter of British forces were commanded over sea the year before.
- Away he goes, […] a matter of seven miles.
4.Legal services provided by a lawyer or firm to their client in relation to a particular issue.
- Please find attached an invoice for three outstanding matters.
1.To be important.
- The only thing that matters to Jim is being rich.
- Sorry for pouring ketchup on your clean white shirt! - Oh, don't worry, it does not matter.
- Not all platforms are equal. Some are busier and thus more important than others. A rural station that doesn't comply matters less than a major London terminus.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #575
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
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.