Where does “material” come from?

Material comes from Middle English material, from Latin materialis, formed from Latin materia with the suffix -alis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr meaning mother.

material (English): Having to do with matter; consisting of matter;...

Definitions

  1. Having to do with matter; consisting of matter;...

Ancestry of “material”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishmaterialExtant in matter or having physical form;...
2Late Latinmaterialismaterial
3Latinmāteriamatter; material; component stuff; substance
4Latinmātermother female parent
5Proto-Italicmātērmother
6Proto-Indo-Europeanméh₂tērmother

Words derived from “material”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr →