# matter

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmæt.ə/ · frequency rank #415

## Definitions
1. Material; substance.
2. Material; substance.
3. Material; substance.
4. Material; substance.
5. Material; substance.
6. An affair, condition, or subject, especially one of concern or (especially when preceded by the) one that is problematic.
7. An approximate amount or extent.
8. Legal services provided by a lawyer or firm to their client in relation to a particular issue.
9. Essence; pith; embodiment.
10. (The) inducing cause or reason, especially of anything disagreeable or distressing.
11. Pus.
12. Importance.

## Etymology
From Middle English matere, mater, from Anglo-Norman matere, materie, from Old French materie, matiere, from Latin māteria (“wood”), from māter (“mother”), in which case cognate with Old Armenian մայր (mayr, “cedar”) and մայրի (mayri, “forest”). Doublet of Madeira, mata, mater, matrix, and mother.
Displaced Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter”), from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material”), Old English intinga (“matter, affair, business”).

## Easily confused with
- **meter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-meter)
- **Mayer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-mayer)
- **Matty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-matty)
- **mother** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-mother)
- **mister** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-mister)
- **muster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-muster)
- **Mattie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-mattie)
- **mutter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-mutter)
- **Mattis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-mattis)
- **Maurer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-maurer)
- **matters** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-matters)
- **Matthew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matter-vs-matthew)
- **mate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mate-vs-matter)
- **matt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matt-vs-matter)
- **maker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maker-vs-matter)
- **mates** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mates-vs-matter)
- **matte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/matte-vs-matter)
- **mater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mater-vs-matter)
- **Maher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maher-vs-matter)
- **Mateo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mateo-vs-matter)

## Common misspellings (6)
`amtter`, `matetr`, `matterr`, `mattre`, `mmatter`, `mtater`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/matter