matter

The word “matter” means physical substance in general — anything that has mass and takes up space. In plain terms, either the physical stuff everything is made of, or a topic/issue that needs dealing with, or (as a verb) to be important.

“Matter” is pronounced MA-tuh (/ˈmætɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “matter” used in a sentence: “Scientists study how matter behaves at extremely low temperatures.”

Words with a similar meaning to “matter” include material, stuff, substance and hyle.

Depending on how it is used, “matter” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “matter” comes from Latin. From Old French matiere, going back to Latin materia ("wood, substance"), itself related to mater ("mother") — the idea being of raw material as a source, the way a tree trunk is the "mother" of timber.

“Matter” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Matter” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: physical substance in general — anything that has mass and takes up space.

Matter usually exists in four states: solid, where particles are locked in a fixed shape; liquid, which flows and takes the shape of its container; gas, which spreads to fill any space; and plasma, a very high-energy state found in stars and lightning. Matter can change between these states when heated or cooled.

Matter is physical substance, anything with mass that occupies space, like water, air, or rock. Energy is not a substance but the capacity to do work or cause change, such as heat, light, or motion. The two are deeply linked, since matter can be converted to energy, but they are distinct concepts.

Almost everything physical is matter: a glass of water, the air in a room, a wooden table, your own body. Each has mass and takes up space, which is the test for matter. Things that are not matter include light, heat, and sound, because they are forms of energy rather than substance.