matte
1 Americanadjective
noun
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a dull or dead surface, often slightly roughened, as on metals, paint, paper, or glass.
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a tool for producing such a surface.
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Metallurgy. an unfinished metallic product of the smelting of certain sulfide ores, especially those of copper.
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Movies. matte shot.
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
noun
Etymology
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
Explanation
Matte things aren't shiny, but instead have a somewhat dull or flat surface. When you print out a photo, you can usually choose between a glossy or matte finish. The matte surface of your new refrigerator doesn't reflect your image the way your old shiny stainless steel one did, and your grandmother's excessive use of face powder gives her skin a matte look. Wall paint can be purchased in different finishes, ranging from matte (or flat) to glossy. The French root is mat, "dead, dull surface," from the Old French meaning, "dull or dejected," which may stem from the Latin mattus, "maudlin with drink."
Vocabulary lists containing matte
Pet
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Firekeeper's Daughter
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Monday's Not Coming
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Marked by veils of heavily diluted color that are rubbed into the canvas weave to create a weightless, matte effect, its soft, evanescent surface was intended to read, Whistler said, “like breath on glass.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
Skinner recommends matte or sweat-proof SPF to help your make-up last longer.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
This makes it possible to switch between glossy and matte finishes, producing visual effects that surpass what current screens can achieve.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 31, 2026
They’ve been challenged to magnify a 4-foot matte painting of the arched hallway into the Wizard’s throne room — initially done in pastels on black cardboard — into a 240-foot-tall tableau.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025
It was sleek, with tinted windows and a matte black paint job.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
The schoolhouse is a dull, matted red, as are other architectural elements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
Keeping dogs and other furry animals like cats well-groomed prevents the build-up of matted fur, which can make it harder for them to stay cool.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2025
When you got away from the individual hairs, and now you had these brushstrokes that felt more like matted fur again, there was an interesting reality that came from that.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2025
As erosion slows, marsh and streamside vegetation is rebounding and putting down densely matted root systems that can increasingly stand firm against flooding, or surging waves.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 31, 2024
Her hair was matted against her neck, and she brushed it away with one hand, while with the other, she held the covers up to her chest.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
Brown previously explained that the club would protect the stadium's artificial grass by covering it with special matting.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
The rabbits appeared well fed, but the majority are longhaired, meaning they should not have been kept outdoors and require daily brushing to avoid painful matting of the fur, Hadzimuratovic said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2024
Wearing skullcaps, about 60 kneeled in the sun on green matting spread over bits of scrubby brown vegetation.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2023
Families pick the type of frame and matting and then a professional framer gets started.
From New York Times ● Oct. 8, 2022
Rain matting the hair over his collar, forming a little pool in the space between his boots.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
