3 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft poss N ] Someone's wife, husband, or sexual partner can be referred to as their mate . □ He has found his ideal mate.
4 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] An animal's mate is its sexual partner. □ The males guard their mates zealously.
5 VERB When animals mate , a male and a female have sex in order to produce young. □ [V ] This allows the pair to mate properly and stops the hen staying in the nest-box. □ [V + with ] They want the males to mate with wild females. □ [V ] It is easy to tell when a female is ready to mate. □ [V -ing] …the mating season.
6 N‑COUNT On a commercial ship, the mate or the first mate is the most important officer except for the captain. Officers of lower rank are also called mates . □ …the mate of a fishing trawler.
7 N‑UNCOUNT In chess, mate is the same as checkmate .
8 → see also cellmate , classmate , flatmate , playmate , roommate , running mate , schoolmate , shipmate , soul mate
ma|terial ◆◆◇ /mət I ə riəl/ (materials )
1 N‑VAR A material is a solid substance. □ …electrons in a conducting material such as a metal. □ …the design of new absorbent materials.
2 N‑VAR Material is cloth. □ [+ of ] …the thick material of her skirt. □ The materials are soft and comfortable to wear.
3 N‑PLURAL Materials are the things that you need for a particular activity. □ The builders ran out of materials. □ …sewing materials.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Ideas or information that are used as a basis for a book, play, or film can be referred to as material . □ In my version of the story, I added some new material.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Material things are related to possessions or money, rather than to more abstract things such as ideas or values. □ Every room must have been stuffed with material things. □ …the material world. ● ma|teri|al|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj/-ed] □ He has tried to help this child materially and spiritually.
6 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone is a particular kind of material , you mean that they have the qualities or abilities to do a particular job or task. □ She was not university material. □ His message has changed little since he became presidential material.
7 ADJ [ADJ n] Material evidence or information is directly relevant and important in a legal or academic argument. [FORMAL ] □ The nature and availability of material evidence was not to be discussed. SYNONYMS material NOUN
1
substance: The substance that's causing the problem comes from the barley.
matter: They feed mostly on decaying vegetable matter.
stuff: I don't object to the powdered stuff if it's all you've got.
2
cloth: She began cleaning the wound with a piece of cloth.
fabric: …small squares of red cotton fabric.
textile: …decorative textiles for the home.
ma|teri|al|ise /mət I ə riəla I z/ → see materialize
ma|teri|al|ism /mət I ə riəl I zəm/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Materialism is the attitude of someone who attaches a lot of importance to money and wants to possess a lot of material things. □ …the rising consumer materialism in society at large. ● ma|teri|al|ist (materialists ) N‑COUNT □ Leo is a materialist, living for life's little luxuries.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Materialism is the belief that only physical matter exists, and that there is no spiritual world.
ma|teri|al|ist /mət I ə riəl I st/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Materialist is used to describe things relating to the philosophy of materialism. □ …the materialist view of nature and society.
ma|teri|al|is|tic /mət I ə riəl I st I k/ ADJ If you describe a person or society as materialistic , you are critical of them because they attach too much importance to money and material possessions. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ During the 1980s, Britain became a very materialistic society.
ma|teri|al|ize /mət I ə riəla I z/ (materializes , materializing , materialized ) in BRIT, also use materialise 1 VERB If a possible or expected event does not materialize , it does not happen. □ [V ] A rebellion by radicals failed to materialize.
2 VERB If a person or thing materializes , they suddenly appear, after they have been invisible or in another place. □ [V ] Tamsin materialized at her side, notebook at the ready.
ma|ter|nal /mətɜː r n ə l/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Maternal is used to describe feelings or actions which are typical of those of a kind mother towards her child. □ She had little maternal instinct. □ Her feelings towards him were almost maternal.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Maternal is used to describe things that relate to the mother of a baby. □ Maternal smoking can damage the unborn child.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] A maternal relative is one who is related through a person's mother rather than their father. □ Her maternal grandfather was Mayor of Karachi.
ma|ter|nity /mətɜː r n I ti/ ADJ [ADJ n] Maternity is used to describe things relating to the help and medical care given to a woman when she is pregnant and when she gives birth. □ Your job will be kept open for your return after maternity leave. □ …maternity clothes.