əˈfɛɹ əˈfɛə ˈɪsjuː ˈɪʃ(j)u ˈmætə ˈmætɚ ˈmætə ˈmætɚ ˈsʌb.dʒɛkt θɪŋ ˈtɒpɪk ˈtɑpɪk weɪ that which has mass and occupies space physicists study both the nature of matter and the forces which govern it have weight; have import, carry weight It does not matter much (used with negation) having consequence they were friends and it was no matter who won the games a vaguely specified concern several matters to attend to it is none of your affair things are going well a problem is anything the matter? some situation or event that is thought about he kept drifting off the topic he had been thinking about the subject for several years it is a matter for the police written works (especially in books or magazines) he always took some reading matter with him on the plane