mat

pronunciation

How to pronounce mat in British English: UK [mæt] word uk audio image

How to pronounce mat in American English: US [mæt] word us audio image

Noun:

a thick flat pad used as a floor covering
mounting consisting of a border or background for a picture
sports equipment consisting of a piece of thick padding on the floor for gymnastic sports
the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss
a small pad of material that is used to protect surface from an object placed on it
Verb:

twist together or entwine into a confusing mass
change texture so as to become matted and felt-like
Adjective:

not reflecting light; not glossy

Word Origin

mat: mat: English has two distinct words mat. The one meaning ‘small carpet’ [OE] is ultimately of Latin origin (matta), but it found its way into the West Germanic group of languages in prehistoric times, and has produced German matte and Dutch mat as well as English mat. Mat (or matt) meaning ‘dull’ [17] comes from French mat ‘dead’, which is also the source of the chess term mate.=> mate

mat (n.1): loosely joined natural materials used as bedding, etc., Old English matte, from Late Latin matta "mat made of rushes" (4c.), probably from Punic or Phoenician matta (compare Hebrew mittah "bed, couch"). Meaning "tangled mass" is from 1835. That of "piece of padded flooring used in gymnastics or wrestling" is attested from 1892; hence figurative phrase go to the mat "do battle" (1910). The Latin word also is the source of German Matte, matze; Dutch mat, Italian matta. French natte "mat, matting" is from Late Latin secondary form natta (compare napkin).

mat (adj.): 1640s, "lusterless, dull" (of a color or surface), from French mat "dull, dead surface," from Old French mat "beaten down, withered, afflicted, dejected; dull," which is perhaps from Latin mattus "maudlin with drink," from madere "to be wet or sodden, be drunk," from PIE root *mad- "to be wet, drip" (see mast (n.2)). Or the French word might represent a transferred use from chess of mater "to checkmate, defeat," from Arabic (see mate (v.2)).

mat (n.2): "sheet of backing material," 1845, from French mat "dull surface or finish" (15c.), noun use of Old French mat (adj.); see mat (adj.).

mat (v.): early 15c., "to make mats," from mat (n.1). From 1540s as "to provide with mats, to cover with mats;" meaning "to become tangled" is from 1570s. Related: Matted; matting.

2. An inspection after the accident found the floor mat melted on the accelerator pedal .

3. A cutting mat made it easy to quickly and accurately measure out the lengths .

5. On the reverse of the paper mat on each tray is a nutritional breakdown of each dish albeit in tiny print .