material
- Top 1000
Sense 1
- noun
- A2
Any kind of stuff, such as wood, metal or plastic, that people use to make things.
This bag is made from recycled material, not new plastic.
Builders unloaded materials for the new roof early this morning.
Which material keeps heat in best, wool or cotton?
Common collocations: building materials · raw material · recycled material · made of some material · waterproof material
Part of: Materials, Science and technology
Sense 2
- noun
- B1
A material, like cotton or wool, used to make clothes, curtains and similar things.
I need two metres of dark material for the curtains.
This material feels rough, so choose something softer for a shirt.
She held the material up to the light to check its thickness.
Common collocations: a metre of material · soft material · stretchy material · cut the material · dress material
Sense 3 · less common
- adjective
- B2
Connected with money and with things you can own, rather than with feelings or the mind.
Money and cars are only material things, he kept saying.
She cares little for material comfort and lives very simply.
Common collocations: material things · material possessions · material comfort · material wealth · material needs
Part of: Attitudes and opinions, Bank and money
Forms
- plural
- materials