Materials

[muh-teer-ee-uh l] /məˈtɪər i əl/

noun
1.
the substance or substances of which a thing is made or composed:
Stone is a durable material.
2.
anything that serves as crude or raw matter to be used or developed:
Wood pulp is the raw material from which paper is made.
3.
any constituent element.
4.
a textile fabric:
material for a dress.
5.
a group of ideas, facts, data, etc., that may provide the basis for or be incorporated into some integrated work:
to gather material for a history of North Carolina; to write material for a comedy show.
6.
materials, the articles or apparatus needed to make or do something:
writing materials.
7.
a person considered as having qualities suited to a particular sphere of activity:
The boy’s teachers did not think he was college material.
adjective
8.
formed or consisting of matter; physical; corporeal:
the material world.
9.
relating to, concerned with, or involving matter:
material forces.
10.
pertaining to the physical rather than the spiritual or intellectual aspect of things:
material comforts.
11.
pertaining to or characterized by an undue interest in corporeal things; unspiritual.
12.
of substantial import; of much consequence; important:
Your support will make a material difference in the success of our program.
13.
pertinent or essential (usually followed by to):
a question not material to the subject at hand.
14.
Law. likely to influence the determination of a case:
material evidence.
15.
Philosophy. of or relating to matter as distinguished from form.
/məˈtɪərɪəlz/
plural noun
1.
the equipment necessary for a particular activity
/məˈtɪərɪəl/
noun
1.
the substance of which a thing is made or composed; component or constituent matter: raw material
2.
facts, notes, etc, that a finished work may be based on or derived from: enough material for a book
3.
cloth or fabric
4.
a person who has qualities suitable for a given occupation, training, etc: that boy is not university material
adjective
5.
of, relating to, or composed of physical substance; corporeal
6.
(philosophy) composed of or relating to physical as opposed to mental or spiritual substance: the material world
7.
of, relating to, or affecting economic or physical wellbeing: material ease
8.
of or concerned with physical rather than spiritual interests
9.
of great import or consequence: of material benefit to the workers
10.
(often foll by to) relevant
11.
(philosophy) of or relating to matter as opposed to form
12.
(law) relevant to the issue before court: applied esp to facts or testimony of much significance: a material witness
adj.

mid-14c., “real, ordinary; earthly, drawn from the material world;” a term in scholastic philosophy and theology, from Old French material, materiel (14c.) and directly from Late Latin materialis (adj.) “of or belonging to matter,” from Latin materia “matter, stuff, wood, timber” (see matter). From late 14c. as “made of matter, having material existence; material, physical, substantial;” from late 15c. as “important, relevant.”
n.

late 14c., “substance, matter from which a thing is made,” from material (adj.).