matte

¹

Or mat,

[mat]

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.

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

4. Movies.,  matte shot.

verb (used with object)

matted, matting 

1. to finish with a matte surface.

matte

²

[mat]

noun

Mining.

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.

matte

¹

/ mæt /

noun

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

matte

²

/ mæt /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of matte¹

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”

Origin of matte²

< German; akin to mat ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of matte¹

C19: from French

Related Words

• cloudy 
• cold 
• dark 
• dim 
• dismal 
• flat 
• hazy 
• lifeless 
• muddy 
• muted 
• obscure 
• soft 
• somber 
• subdued