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matériel
noun
ma·té·ri·el
mə-ˌtir-ē-ˈel
variants
or materiel
: equipment, apparatus, and supplies used by an organization or institution
Synonyms
Examples of matériel in a Sentence
the army is running short of clothing and other matériel
Recent Examples on the Web
The advance of Moscow’s forces, which control just under a fifth of Ukraine, has underlined Russia’s vast superiority in men and materiel as Ukraine pleads for more weapons from the Western allies that have been supporting it.
—Artem Grudinin, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024
And Chinese companies quickened their supply of the machines, microelectronics, and other dual-use items Russia needed to churn out weapons, munitions, and other materiel.
—Antony J. Blinken, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2024
In the decade following the 1959 Cuban Revolution, the Department of Defense provided $1.7 billion in materiel and counterinsurgency support to sympathetic Latin American armies in an effort to prop up pro-Washington administrations and win local hearts and minds.
—Paul J. Angelo, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2024
Russia had reached the peak of its materiel advantage, so the risk of a major Russian breakthrough was decreasing, and Moscow could have been held to incremental gains.
—Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2024
For decades, Washington has insisted that European states purchase materiel from the United States and avoid procuring forces that duplicate those of the United States.
—Justin Logan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2024
Withdrawing troops and materiel, the tangible expression of U.S. leadership, would accelerate this process by requiring European states to bear responsibility for their defense and preventing them from continuing to lean on the United States.
—Justin Logan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has been pouring mercenaries, proxies, and materiel into Libya for the past six months, adding to its already sizable presence in that country.
—Frederic Wehrey, Foreign Affairs, 9 July 2024
In the two-plus years since, China has refused to condemn the invasion and helped Russia acquire materiel, from machine tools to engines to drones, crucial for the war effort.
—Joseph Torigian, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'matériel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
French matériel, from matériel, adjective
First Known Use
1819, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near matériel
Cite this Entry
“Matériel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mat%C3%A9riel. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
matériel
noun
ma·té·ri·el
variants
or materiel
: equipment and supplies used by a group or organization
Etymology
French
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