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mat

ˈmat 1 syllable uncommon

  1. noun.a piece of coarse, woven, plaited, or felted fabric used especially as a floor covering or a support

    • an algal mat
    • a mat of unkempt hair
  2. noun.a piece of material placed at a door for wiping soiled shoe soles

  3. noun.a decorative piece of material used under a small item (such as a dish) especially for support or protection

  4. verb.to provide with a mat or matting

    • dirt and filth matted her hair
  5. verb.to form into a tangled mass

  6. verb.to pack down so as to form a dense mass

  7. verb.to make (something, such as a metal, glass, or color) matte

  8. verb.to provide (a picture) with a mat

  9. adjective.lacking or deprived of luster or gloss: such as

    • matte metals
    • a matte finish
  10. adjective.having a usually smooth even surface free from shine or highlights

  11. adjective.having a rough or granular surface

  12. noun.a border going around a picture between picture and frame or serving as the frame

  13. noun.matrix

Origin

Middle English, from Old English meatte, from Late Latin matta, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew miṭṭāh bed.

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