Materials
[məˈtɪəriəlz]
Definitions
2 meaningsThe things needed to make something; the stuff.
[məˈtɪəriəlz]
The substances or things from which something is made or can be made.
The store sells a wide range of art materials.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're baking a cake. The flour, eggs, sugar, and butter? Those are the materials! Any 'stuff' you need to create something.
👶 For kids: The things you need to make or build something, like LEGOs or crayons.
More Examples
They used durable materials to build the bridge.
The company is researching new materials for energy storage.
How It's Used
"The construction crew ordered the necessary materials for the project."
"The artist experimented with different painting materials, including oils and acrylics."
"Scientists study the properties of various materials to develop new technologies."
Data or information used to create or analyze something.
[məˈtɪəriəlz]
Information gathered for a research paper or project.
The historian examined historical materials to understand the past.
💡 Simply: If you're writing a report, the books, websites, and notes you collect are your 'materials'! The resources you use to get the job done.
👶 For kids: The information you read or learn to do a school project.
More Examples
The lawyer collected materials to build a strong case.
We need to review the materials before making a decision.
How It's Used
"She gathered materials from various libraries and online databases for her research paper."
"The journalist reviewed all available materials before writing the news story."
Synonyms & Antonyms
From Middle English *materiales*, from Latin *māteriālis* ("of matter").
The term 'materials' has been used since the 15th century to denote substances used in construction or creation.
Memory tip
Think of the stuff you need to BUILD a house, or PAINT a picture. These are MATERIALS!
Word Origin
"matter, substance"