matting
|mat-ting|
/ˈmætɪŋ/
(mat)
surface covering
Etymology
'mat' (hence 'matting') originates from Middle English 'matte' or 'mat', where it referred to a mass of tangled threads or fibres.
'mat' developed in Middle English from earlier Germanic sources meaning a matted or tangled mass; over time the noun produced derived forms and verbal senses (to mat) and extended to other uses such as picture 'matting' and technical 'matting' in imaging.
Initially it meant 'a tangle or tangled mass'; over time it broadened to include a manufactured 'mat' (a mounting or border), the action 'to mat' (to tangle or attach a mat), and technical senses like image 'matting'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a tangled mass of hair, wool, or fibers; the condition produced when strands cling together into lumps.
The groomer had to cut away the heavy matting in the dog's coat.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
material (usually a thin board or paperboard) used as a decorative border around a picture or to mount artwork or photographs.
She selected a cream matting to go with the framed photograph.
Synonyms
Noun 3
the process of creating a matte or matte extraction in imaging and film — separating foreground from background for compositing (also called 'matting').
Good matting of the actor from the green screen made the composite look seamless.
Synonyms
Verb 1
present participle or gerund form of 'mat' — to tangle or to cause to become matted; also to apply a mat or to create a matte.
The wind was matting the horse's tail as it ran across the field.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/30 02:41