material
UK: məˈtɪəriəl | US: məˈtɪriəl
n. 1. The substance or substances from which something is made or composed.
n. 2. Information or ideas used as a basis for work or discussion.
adj. 1. Relating to physical objects or substances rather than abstract concepts.
The word material traces back to the Latin māteriālis, derived from māteria ("matter, substance"), which itself comes from māter ("mother"). This reflects the ancient conceptual link between "mother" as a source of life and "material" as the foundational substance from which things are made. Over time, material expanded from its literal sense of physical matter to include abstract resources like information or data.
The artist chose high-quality material for her sculpture.
We need more material to support our research hypothesis.
His possessions were few, but each held material value.
The teacher provided supplementary material for the lesson.
The storm caused material damage to the coastal town.