Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Not reflecting light; not glossy: Describes a surface that lacks shine or luster, having a dull, flat finish.
   • Lacking highlights or contrast: Often used to describe images, photographs, or paints that have a non-reflective, diffuse quality.

2. Noun:

   • A dull, non-glossy finish or surface: The property of having little or no shine.
   • A mixture of sulfides: In metallurgy, a substance formed during the smelting of sulfide metal ores.

3. Verb:

   • To give a dull, non-glossy finish to something: To make a surface matte.
   • To become tangled or felted: (Less common) To change texture, becoming matted together.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • She preferred a matte lipstick to a shiny one.
  • The artist chose matte paper for the print to reduce glare.

• Noun:

  • The photo printer offers a choice between gloss and matte.
  • The smelting process produced a layer of matte.

• Verb:

  • The framer will matte the photograph to eliminate reflections.
  • The fibers began to matte together after being agitated in the wash.

Advanced Usage

• "Matte finish": A very common phrase describing a non-shiny surface treatment.

  • Most smartphones are available with either a glossy or a matte finish on the back.

• "Matte painting": In visual effects, a painted representation of a landscape or set used to create the illusion of an environment.

  • The distant city in the film was actually a detailed matte painting.

Variants and Related Words

• Matt (adj): A chiefly British English spelling variant of "matte."

  • He ordered the picture frame with a matt surface.

• Matted (adj): Describes something, especially hair or fibers, that is tangled into a thick mass.

  • The dog's fur was matted with mud.

• Matting (n): 1. Material used for mats. 2. The process of giving a matte finish. 3. The process of becoming tangled.

  • The matting on the floor was made of coir.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Flat, dull, lusterless, non-reflective.
• Noun: Dull finish, flat finish.
• Verb: Dull, flatten.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

• Matte down: To apply a substance or treatment to reduce shine.
  • The makeup artist used powder to matte down the actor's oily forehead.

Related Idioms

Adjective

1. not reflecting light; not glossy
   • flat wall paint
   • a photograph with a matte finish

Noun

1. the property of having little or no contrast; lacking highlights or gloss
2. a mixture of sulfides that forms when sulfide metal ores are smelted

Verb

1. change texture so as to become matted and felt-like
   • The fabric felted up after several washes