matter English · revision 2486

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200 (Ancrene Riwle)|origins=la māter}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈmæt.ə/, US /ˈmæt̬.ɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|materie]] (later [[m|enm|matere]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|fro|matere]] (Anglo-French [[m|xno|matere]]) and directly [[bor|la|māteria|t=substance from which something is made; timber]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|māter|t=mother; origin, source]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) The American Heritage Dictionary explains that the hard wood of a tree was seen as the source of its growth.^(AHD 2000) In philosophy the Latin word took on the meanings of Greek [[grc|ὕλη|tr=hū́lē|t=wood; stuff, matter]], Aristotle's word for matter.^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) It is related to [[mother]], [[material]], [[maternal]] and [[matrimony]],^(COED 2004) and Latin ''māteria'' also gave Spanish [[m|es|madera|t=wood]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Substance, a concern, a subject of discussion: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle''.^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline dates the sense “subject of thought, speech or writing” to about 1200.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English ''matter'' was first the theme or content of a text, and by about 1300 also a narrative or story.^(Etymonline) The physical sense “substance in general” dates from the mid-14th century, and “the material of a particular thing” from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) Also in the late 14th century it came to mean an affair or piece of business,^(Etymonline) and in law from the 1530s it was something to be tried or proved.^(Etymonline) Hoad dates “physical substance” in the scientific sense and “things written or printed” to the 17th century.^(Hoad 1986) The verb “to form pus” is recorded in 1530, in Palsgrave,^(Barnhart 1988) and “to be of importance” from 1581.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''Matter of fact'' is from 1581 and ''matter-of-fact'' from 1712, in Steele.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Matter of course'' is from 1739.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – substance, subject (''Ancrene Riwle'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – a narrative.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-14th century – physical substance.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – an affair, business.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1530 – verb, to form pus (Palsgrave).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1530s – in law, a thing to be proved.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1581 – verb, to be important, and ''matter of fact''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1712 – ''matter-of-fact'' (Steele).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1739 – ''matter of course''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # That which occupies space and has [[mass]], existing as a [[solid]], [[liquid]] or [[gas]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A particular kind of substance: ''vegetable matter''.^(AHD)

+ # Discharge from the body, such as [[pus]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # A subject of concern, discussion or action; an [[affair]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Trouble or difficulty: ''what's the matter?''^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Written or printed material: ''reading matter''.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # ''(law)'' Something to be tried or proved.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be of importance; to [[signify]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(obsolete except in dialect)'' To form or discharge pus.^(SOED 2002)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[matterful]]

+ * [[matterless]]

+ * [[nonmatter]]

+ * [[overmatter]]

+ * [[matter-of-fact]]

+ * [[mattery]]

+ * [[back matter]]

+ * [[dark matter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mother]]

+ * [[material]]

+ * [[maternal]]

+ * [[matrimony]]

+ * [[Madeira]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}