Material  —n. 1 matter from which a thing is made. 2 cloth, fabric. 3 (in pl.) Things needed for an activity (building materials). 4 person or thing of a specified kind or suitable for a purpose (officer material). 5 (in sing. Or pl.) Information etc. For a book etc. 6 (in sing. Or pl., often foll. By of) elements, constituent parts, or substance. —adj. 1 of matter; corporeal; not spiritual. 2 of bodily comfort etc. (material well-being). 3 (often foll. By to) important, significant, relevant. [latin materia *matter]