Material
Material , adjective
[Latin materialis, from materia stuff, matter: compare French matériel. See Matter, and compare Matériel.]
1.
Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical; as, material substance or bodies.
The material elements of the universe.
2.
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.
3.
Of solid or weighty character; not insubstantial; of consequence; not be dispensed with; important; significant.
Discourse, which was always material, never trifling.
I shall, in the account of simple ideas, set down only such as are most material to our present purpose.
4.
(Logic.) Pertaining to the matter, as opposed to the form, of a thing. See Matter.
Collocations (2)
Material cause , See under Cause.
Material evidence (Law) , evidence which conduces to the proof or disproof of a relevant hypothesis. — Wharton
Material , noun
The substance or matter of which anything is made or may be made.
Collocations (1)
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.
Material , transitive verb
To form from matter; to materialize. [Obsolete] — Sir T. Browne