Collins English-English Dictionary

matrix ['meɪtrɪks]

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

2. 2. n a papier-mâché or plastic mould impressed from the forme and used for stereotyping mat

3. 3. n [anatomy] the thick tissue at the base of a nail from which a fingernail or toenail develops

4. 4. n the intercellular substance of bone, cartilage, connective tissue, etc

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

6. 6. n the material in which a mineral is embedded; gangue

7. 7. n [printing] a metal mould for casting type

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

9. 9. n a bed of perforated material placed beneath a workpiece in a press or stamping machine against which the punch operates

10. 10. n [metallurgy] the shaped cathode used in electroforming

11. 11. n the metal constituting the major part of an alloy

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

13. 13. n the main component of a composite material, such as the plastic in a fibre-reinforced plastic

14. 14. n [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 determinant

15. 15. n [linguistics] the main clause of a complex sentence

16. 16. n [computing] a rectangular array of circuit elements usually used to generate one set of signals from another

17. 17. n [obsolete] the womb

18. 18. n [Etymology] C16: from Latin: womb, female animal used for breeding, from mater mother