material

/məˈtɪriəl/
adjective
  1. Relating to physical objects or money, rather than spiritual or emotional things.
    • The company's material assets include buildings and equipment.
    • She is not interested in material possessions.
    • They focused on material wealth instead of happiness.
  2. Important and relevant to a situation or decision.
    • Only material facts should be included in the report.
    • This evidence is material to the case.
    • The judge said the information was not material to the trial.
  3. Relating to the physical world rather than the mind or spirit.
    • Our material needs are food, water, and shelter.
    • The material world is governed by the laws of physics.
    • He studied the material causes of the disease.
Antonyms
noun
  1. A physical substance that things can be made from.
    • The artist used recycled materials for her sculpture.
    • We need to buy more material to finish the curtains.
    • Wood is a common building material.
  2. Information or ideas used for a particular purpose, such as writing, study, or research.
    • The comedian used everyday life as material for his jokes.
    • The journalist gathered material for her article.
    • This textbook provides good study material for the exam.
  3. Cloth or fabric.
    • She chose a soft cotton material for the dress.
    • This material is too thin for winter clothes.
    • The store sells material for making quilts.