a. [ L. materialis, fr. materia stuff, matter: cf. F. matériel. See Matter, and cf. Matériel. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical; as, material substance or bodies. [ 1913 Webster ]

The material elements of the universe. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: Pertaining to, or affecting, the physical nature of man, as distinguished from the mental or moral nature; relating to the bodily wants, interests, and comforts; as, material well-being; material comforts. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Of solid or weighty character; not insubstantial; of consequence; not be dispensed with; important; significant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Discourse, which was always material, never trifling. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

I shall, in the account of simple ideas, set down only such as are most material to our present purpose. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Logic.) Pertaining to the matter, as opposed to the form, of a thing. See Matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

Material cause. See under Cause. --
Material evidence (Law), evidence which conduces to the proof or disproof of a relevant hypothesis. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Corporeal; bodily; important; weighty; momentous; essential. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The substance or matter of which anything is made or may be made. [ 1913 Webster ]

Raw material, any crude, unfinished, or elementary materials that are adapted to use only by processes of skilled labor. Cotton, wool, ore, logs, etc., are raw material. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To form from matter; to materialize. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. matérialisme. ] 1. The doctrine of materialists; materialistic views and tenets; called also philosophical materialism. [ 1913 Webster ]

The irregular fears of a future state had been supplanted by the materialism of Epicurus. Buckminster. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The tendency to give undue importance to material interests as contrasted with spiritual concerns; devotion to the material nature and its wants. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Material substances in the aggregate; matter. [ R. & Obs. ] A. Chalmers. [ 1913 Webster ]

philosophical materialism The theory that matter and energy are the only objects existing within the universe, and that mental and spiritual phenomena are explainable as functions of the nervous system of people. Same as materialism{ 1 }. [ PJC ]

n. [ Cf. F. matérialiste. ] 1. One who denies the existence of spiritual substances or agents, and maintains that spiritual phenomena, so called, are the result of some peculiar organization of matter. A believer in philosophical materialism. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. One who holds to the existence of matter, as distinguished from the idealist, who denies it. Berkeley. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. Of or pertaining to materialism or materialists; of the nature of materialism. [ 1913 Webster ]

But to me his very spiritualism seemed more materialistic than his physics. C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Primarily concerned with material objects and worldly activities, as contrasted with spiritual, moral or philosophical concerns; especially, concerned primarily with gaining money and the things that money can buy. [ PJC ]

n. [ Cf. F. matérialité. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The quality or state of being material; material existence; corporeity. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Importance; as, the materiality of facts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of materializing, or the state of being materialized. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To appear as a material form; to take substantial shape. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To come into existence; as, the promised donations never materialized. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Materialized p. pr. & vb. n. Materializing ] [ Cf. F. matérialiser. ] 1. To invest with material characteristics; to make perceptible to the senses; hence, to present to the mind through the medium of material objects. [ 1913 Webster ]

Having with wonderful art and beauty materialized, if I may so call it, a scheme of abstracted notions, and clothed the most nice, refined conceptions of philosophy in sensible images. Tatler. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To regard as matter; to consider or explain by the laws or principles which are appropriate to matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause to assume a character appropriate to material things; to occupy with material interests; as, to materialize thought. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Spiritualism) To make visable in, or as in, a material form; -- said of spirits. [ 1913 Webster ]

A female spirit form temporarily materialized, and not distinguishable from a human being. Epes Sargent. [ 1913 Webster ]