Word of the Day Archive
Tuesday July 31, 2012
matte \mat\
, adjective:
1. Having a dull or lusterless surface: matte paint; a matte complexion; a photograph with a matte finish.
noun:
1. A dull or dead surface, often slightly roughened, as on metals, paint, paper, or glass.
2. A tool for producing such a surface.
The blue, red, and green of the china pattern were matte, but the white background glowed.
-- James Collins, Beginner's Greek
In seconds the coals went from matte black to shiny wet and then back to matte black, as the stuff soaked in.
-- A.M. Homes, Things You Should Know
Matte comes form the Late Latin word mattus meaning "moist, soft, weak."
Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for matte
