Where does “material” come from?

material (Middle English) comes from Late Latin materialis, from Latin māteria, from Latin māter, from Proto-Italic mātēr, from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr — mother.

material (Middle English): Extant in matter or having physical form;...

Definitions

  1. Extant in matter or having physical form;...

Ancestry of “material”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Late Latinmaterialismaterial
2Latinmāteriamatter; material; component stuff; substance
3Latinmātermother female parent
4Proto-Italicmātērmother
5Proto-Indo-Europeanméh₂tērmother

Words derived from “material

Every word from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr
material — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer