plural noun
Different substances or items used to make, build, or produce something.
We need to buy materials for the project.
The builders used recycled materials for the wall.
American English
How to pronounce materials
nounB1Very common word
muhTEEreelz
/məˈtʰi.ɹi.l̩z/
4 syllables · Stress the second syllable.
Form of material
Materials usually refers to different substances, pieces of cloth, or resources. Material without -s often refers to a substance in general.
Different substances or items used to make, build, or produce something.
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
plural noun
Different kinds or pieces of cloth used to make clothes, curtains, or other soft things.
The designer chose soft materials for the curtains.
These materials are strong enough for winter coats.
plural noun
Information, documents, or other resources prepared for a particular activity.
The teacher uploaded the study materials yesterday.
Please read the training materials before class.
Useful expressions
a basic substance used to make a product
The factory imports raw material.
books, documents, or other resources used for studying
The study materials are online.
things that someone owns, especially physical and valuable things
He has few material possessions.
Related words & forms
When material means a substance in general, it often has no -s. Use materials for different substances or items.