matter

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*méh₂tēr
2. Proto-Italic*mātēr
3. Latinmāter
4. Ancient Greekὕλη (húlē)
5. Latinmāteria
6. Anglo-Normanmatere
7. Middle Englishmatere
8. English todaymatter

From Middle English matere, mater, from Anglo-Norman matere, materie, from Old French materie, matiere, from Latin māteria (“wood”), from māter (“mother”), in which case cognate with Old Armenian մայր (mayr, “cedar”) and մայրի (mayri, “forest”). Doublet of Madeira, mata, mater, matrix, and mother. Displaced Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter”), from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material”), Old English intinga (“matter, affair, business”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. To be important.
• from 17th c. To care about, to mind; to find important.