matte

1

or mat, matt

[ mat ]
See synonyms for: mattemattedmatting on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. having a dull or lusterless surface: matte paint; a matte complexion; a photograph with a matte finish.

noun
  1. a dull or dead surface, often slightly roughened, as on metals, paint, paper, or glass.

  2. a tool for producing such a surface.

  1. Metallurgy. an unfinished metallic product of the smelting of certain sulfide ores, especially those of copper.

  2. Movies. matte shot.

verb (used with object),mat·ted, mat·ting.
  1. to finish with a matte surface.

Origin of matte

1
First recorded in 1640–50; from French mat (masculine), matte (feminine), Old French, from Late Latin mattus “moist, soft, weak,” perhaps from unattested maditus, derivative of Latin madēre “to be wet”

Words Nearby matte

Other definitions for matte (2 of 2)

matte2
[ mat ]

nounMining.
  1. a mass of timber caved beneath overburden so as to cushion the fall of the overburden and separate it from mineral to be extracted beneath.

Origin of matte

2
<German; akin to mat1

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How to use matte in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for matte (1 of 2)

matte1

/ (mæt) /


noun
  1. an impure fused material consisting of metal sulphides produced during the smelting of a sulphide ore

Origin of matte

1
C19: from French

British Dictionary definitions for matte (2 of 2)

matte2

/ (mæt) /


noun
  1. films television a mask used to blank out part of an image so that another image can be superimposed

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