matted

¹ American  

[mat-id] / ˈmæt ɪd /

adjective

1. covered with a dense growth or a tangled mass.

   a garden matted with weeds.

2. formed into a mat; entangled in a thick mass.

   matted hair.

3. formed of mats, or of plaited or woven material.

4. covered with mats or matting.

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matted ² American  

[mat-id] / ˈmæt ɪd /

adjective

1. having a dull finish; matte.

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matted British  

/ ˈmætɪd /

adjective

1. tangled into a thick mass

   matted hair

2. covered with or formed of matting

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Other Word Forms

• mattedness
  noun
• mattedly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of matted¹

First recorded in 1600–10; mat ¹ + -ed ²

Origin of matted²

First recorded in 1815–25; matte ¹ + -ed ²

Explanation

Matted things are snarled into a twisted mat. If you never brush your long hair, it will become matted and soon you will be in dreadlocks. Silky hair easily becomes matted, and so does the fur of long-haired animals. Many sheep are covered with a dense, matted wool that is sheared off every year and spun into yarn for making sweaters and blankets. The adjective matted comes from mat, which originally meant "tangled mass," from the Late Latin matta, "mat made of rushes."

Example Sentences

I am all about Franco the Dreadlocked and Tatted.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2013