matter
/ˈmætər/
noun
Origin
Latin
māter — mother
Overview
Meaning Now
- a substance or material of a particular kind
- a subject or topic of discussion or consideration
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
matere
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
Derived from Latin 'māter', meaning 'mother', and influenced by Old French 'matere' and 'materie'
Evolution
- 14th century
matere
“substance, material”
- 15th century
matter
“subject or topic of discussion”
Connections
Word parts
mat-
root
mother, substance
Related across languages
Armenian
մայր
mother
Related words
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Related to matter
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.