Meanings
alternative obsolete hile · alternative obsolete hyla · alternative ylem
- uncountablehuman sciencesSynonym of protomatter, the first matter of the cosmos from which the four elements arose according to Empedocles and Aristotle.
Synonyms: protomatter
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of matter, physical substance.
nounSynonym of protomatter, the first matter of the cosmos from which the four elements arose according to Empedocles and Aristotle.
Origin
- Ancient Greekὕλη“wood, matter”
- Medieval Latinhyle
- Englishhyle
From Medieval Latin hyle, from Ancient Greek ὕλη (húlē, “wood, matter”), particularly in Aristotle as πρώτη ὕλη (prṓtē húlē, “protomatter, fundamental undifferentiated matter”).
More words from Medieval Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
hyle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hyle
“hyle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hyle. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hyle,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hyle.
Source: hyle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.