[syn: substantial, real, material]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Material \Ma*te"ri*al\, a. [L. materialis, fr. materia stuff,
matter: cf. F. mat['e]riel. See Matter, and cf.
Mat['e]riel.]
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1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical;
as, material substance or bodies.
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The material elements of the universe. --Whewell.
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2. Hence: Pertaining to, or affecting, the physical nature of
man, as distinguished from the mental or moral nature;
relating to the bodily wants, interests, and comforts; as,
material well-being; material comforts.
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3. Of solid or weighty character; not insubstantial; of
consequence; not be dispensed with; important;
significant.
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Discourse, which was always material, never
trifling. --Evelyn.
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I shall, in the account of simple ideas, set down
only such as are most material to our present
purpose. --Locke.
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4. (Logic.) Pertaining to the matter, as opposed to the form,
of a thing. See Matter.
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Material cause. See under Cause.
Material evidence (Law), evidence which conduces to the
proof or disproof of a relevant hypothesis. --Wharton.
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Syn: Corporeal; bodily; important; weighty; momentous;
essential.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Material \Ma*te"ri*al\, v. t.
To form from matter; to materialize. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Material \Ma*te"ri*al\, n.
The substance or matter of which anything is made or may be
made.
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Raw material, any crude, unfinished, or elementary
materials that are adapted to use only by processes of
skilled labor. Cotton, wool, ore, logs, etc., are raw
material.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
material
adj 1: concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests;
"material possessions"; "material wealth"; "material
comforts"
2: derived from or composed of matter; "the material universe"
[ant: immaterial, nonmaterial]
3: directly relevant to a matter especially a law case; "his
support made a material difference"; "evidence material to
the issue at hand"; "facts likely to influence the judgment
are called material facts"; "a material witness" [ant:
immaterial]
4: concerned with or affecting physical as distinct from
intellectual or psychological well-being; "material needs";
"the moral and material welfare of all good citizens"-
T.Roosevelt
5: having material or physical form or substance; "that which is
created is of necessity corporeal and visible and tangible" -
Benjamin Jowett [syn: corporeal, material] [ant:
immaterial, incorporeal]
6: having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not
imaginary; "the substantial world"; "a mere dream, neither
substantial nor practical"; "most ponderous and substantial
things"- Shakespeare [syn: substantial, real, material]
[ant: insubstantial, unreal, unsubstantial]
n 1: the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a
physical object; "coal is a hard black material"; "wheat is
the stuff they use to make bread" [syn: material,
stuff]
2: information (data or ideas or observations) that can be used
or reworked into a finished form; "the archives provided rich
material for a definitive biography"
3: artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting
natural or synthetic fibers; "the fabric in the curtains was
light and semitransparent"; "woven cloth originated in
Mesopotamia around 5000 BC"; "she measured off enough
material for a dress" [syn: fabric, cloth, material,
textile]
4: things needed for doing or making something; "writing
materials"; "useful teaching materials"
5: a person judged suitable for admission or employment; "he was
university material"; "she was vice-presidential material"
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
MATERIAL, adj. Having an actual existence, as distinguished from an
imaginary one. Important.
Material things I know, or fell, or see;
All else is immaterial to me.
Jamrach Holobom