ma·trix

(mā′trĭks)

n. pl. ma·tri·ces (mā′trĭ-sēz′, măt′rĭ-) or ma·trix·es

1. A situation or surrounding substance within which something else originates, develops, or is contained: "Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every form of freedom" (Benjamin N. Cardozo).

2. The womb.

3. Anatomy

a. The formative cells or tissue of a specialized structure such as a hair, nail, claw, or tooth.

b. See ground substance.

4. Geology

a. The solid matter in which a fossil or crystal is embedded.

b. Groundmass.

5. A mold or die.

6. The principal metal in an alloy, as the iron in steel.

7. A binding substance, as cement in concrete.

a. Mathematics A rectangular array of numeric or algebraic quantities subject to mathematical operations.

b. Something resembling such an array, as in the regular formation of elements into columns and rows.

9. Computers The network of intersections between input and output leads in a computer, functioning as an encoder or a decoder.

10. Printing

a. A mold used in stereotyping and designed to receive positive impressions of type or illustrations from which metal plates can be cast. Also called mat².

b. A metal plate used for casting typefaces.

11. An electroplated impression of a phonograph record used to make duplicate records.

[Middle English matrice, from Old French, from Late Latin mātrīx, mātrīc-, from Latin, breeding-animal, from māter, mātr-, mother; see māter- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

matrix

(ˈmeɪtrɪks; ˈmæ-)

n, pl matrices (ˈmeɪtrɪˌsiːz; ˈmæ-) or matrixes

1. a substance, situation, or environment in which something has its origin, takes form, or is enclosed

2. (Anatomy) anatomy the thick tissue at the base of a nail from which a fingernail or toenail develops

3. (Biology) the intercellular substance of bone, cartilage, connective tissue, etc

4. (Geological Science)

a. the rock material in which fossils, pebbles, etc, are embedded

b. the material in which a mineral is embedded; gangue

5. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) printing

a. a metal mould for casting type

b. a papier-mâché or plastic mould impressed from the forme and used for stereotyping. Sometimes shortened to: mat

6. (Electronics) (formerly) a mould used in the production of gramophone records. It is obtained by electrodeposition onto the master

7. (Mechanical Engineering) a bed of perforated material placed beneath a workpiece in a press or stamping machine against which the punch operates

8. (Metallurgy) metallurgy

a. the shaped cathode used in electroforming

b. the metal constituting the major part of an alloy

c. the soft metal in a plain bearing in which the hard particles of surface metal are embedded

9. (Chemistry) the main component of a composite material, such as the plastic in a fibre-reinforced plastic

10. (Mathematics) maths a rectangular array of elements set out in rows and columns, used to facilitate the solution of problems, such as the transformation of coordinates. Usually indicated by parentheses: (

). Compare determinant³

11. (Linguistics) linguistics the main clause of a complex sentence

12. (Computer Science) computing a rectangular array of circuit elements usually used to generate one set of signals from another

13. (Anatomy) obsolete the womb

[C16: from Latin: womb, female animal used for breeding, from māter mother]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ma•trix

(ˈmeɪ trɪks, ˈmæ-)

n., pl. ma•tri•ces (ˈmeɪ trɪˌsiz, ˈmæ-) ma•trix•es.

1. something that constitutes the place or point from which something else originates.

2. a formative tissue, as the epithelium from which nails grow.

a. the intercellular substance of a tissue.

b. ground substance (def. 1).

4. the fine-grained portion of a rock in which coarser crystals or rock fragments are embedded.

5. gangue.

6. a crystalline phase in an alloy in which other phases are embedded.

7. a mold for casting typefaces.

8. (in a press or stamping machine) a multiple die or perforated block on which the material to be formed is placed.

9. a rectangular array of numbers, algebraic symbols, or mathematical functions, esp. when such arrays are added and multiplied according to certain rules.

10. a similar rectangular array consisting of rows and columns of numbers, symbols, etc., used in displaying statistical variables, linguistic features, or other data.

[1325–75; < Latin mātrīx female animal kept for breeding (Late Latin: register, orig. of such beasts), parent stem (of plants), derivative of māter mother]

ma·trix

(mā′trĭks)

A substance within which something is contained or embedded. The mineral grains of a rock in which fossils are embedded make up a matrix. Bone cells are embedded in a matrix of collagen fibers and mineral salts.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

matrix

- From Latin, meaning "breeding female," it originally was used for the uterus or womb, then for a supporting or enclosing structure.

See also related terms for womb.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	matrix - (mathematics) a rectangular array of quantities or expressions set out by rows and columns; treated as a single element and manipulated according to rules math, mathematics, maths - a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement correlation matrix - a matrix giving the correlations between all pairs of data sets array - an orderly arrangement; "an array of troops in battle order" dot matrix - a rectangular matrix of dots from which written characters can be formed square matrix - a matrix with the same number of rows and columns real matrix - a matrix whose elements are all real numbers transpose - a matrix formed by interchanging the rows and columns of a given matrix
	2.	matrix - (geology) amass of fine-grained rock in which fossils, crystals, or gems are embedded geology - a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rocks rock, stone - material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust; "that mountain is solid rock"; "stone is abundant in New England and there are many quarries"
	3.	matrix - an enclosure within which something originates or develops (from the Latin for womb) natural enclosure, enclosure - a naturally enclosed space
	4.	matrix - the body substance in which tissue cells are embedded ground substance, intercellular substance body substance - the substance of the body bone, os - rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates connective tissue - tissue of mesodermal origin consisting of e.g. collagen fibroblasts and fatty cells; supports organs and fills spaces between them and forms tendons and ligaments cartilage, gristle - tough elastic tissue; mostly converted to bone in adults
	5.	matrix - the formative tissue at the base of a nail animal tissue - the tissue in the bodies of animals nail - horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits
	6.	matrix - mold used in the production of phonograph records, type, or other relief surface cast, mold, mould - container into which liquid is poured to create a given shape when it hardens

matrix

noun

A hollow device for shaping a fluid or plastic substance:

cast, form, mold.

Translations

matice

matrix

matrico

matriisi

matrica

afsteypumótfylkigrindinnrúmmergur

matrica

macierzmatrix

matris

matrix

[ˈmeɪtrɪks] N (matrixes or matrices (pl)) (all senses) → matriz f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

matrix

[ˈmeɪtrɪks] [matrices] (pl) n → matrice f

matrix

n pl <matrices or -es>

(= mould) → Matrize f, → Mater f

(Geol, Math) → Matrix f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

matrix

[ˈmeɪtrɪks] n (matrices or matrixes (pl)) → matrice f

matrix

n matriz f; nail — matriz ungueal