matte

1 of 3

variants or matt

variant spellings of mat entry 3 sense 1

matte

2 of 3

adjective

ˈmat 

variants or less commonly mat or matt

: lacking or deprived of luster (see luster entry 1 sense 1) or gloss: such as

a

: having a usually smooth even surface free from shine or highlights

matte metals

a matte finish

b

: having a rough or granular (see granular sense 1) surface

matte

3 of 3

noun

ˈmat 

1

: a crude mixture of sulfides formed in smelting sulfide ores of metals (such as copper, lead, or nickel)

2

: a movie effect in which part of a scene is blocked out and later replaced by footage containing other material (such as a background painting)

Synonyms

Adjective

• dulled
• flat
• dull
• lusterless
• grey
• dim
• dark

Examples of matte in a Sentence

Adjective

a photograph with a matte finish

I chose a paint with a matte finish so the walls wouldn't be too shiny.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This Lulus bag is primarily matte and clean, with just a tinge of silver on the top handle and cutesy bow. —Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 22 Feb. 2025

To get this result, Dempsey recommends the Dior Addict Lip Tint for its transfer-proof, semi-matte finish. —Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Jan. 2025

Noun

Because the hue, which is inspired by the C1’s Inca Silver color option, is the first matte production paint to feature on a Corvette since the 1960s. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2025

Key Ingredients: Sweet almond oil, shea butter, vitamin E, vitamin B5 What to note: Might not be the best pick for someone who prefers a matte finish. —Lisa Desantis, Glamour, 6 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French mat, from Old French, faded, defeated

Noun

French, from Middle French, crude metal, curdled milk, from feminine of mat thick, dull, matte

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1648, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for matte

• at
• bat
• batt
• brat
• cat
• chat
• fat
• flat
• gat
• gnat
• hat
• kat

Kids Definition

matte

1 of 2

variants or matt

variant of mat entry 3 sense 1

matte

2 of 2 adjective

variants also mat or matt

ˈmat

: lacking luster or gloss