Meaning

noun the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object

noun information (data or ideas or observations) that can be used or reworked into a finished form

noun artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

originFrom Middle English material, from Late Latin māteriālis, from Latin māteria (“wood, material, substance”), from māter (“mother”). Displaced native Middle English andweorc, andwork (“material, matter”) (from Old English andweorc (“matter, substance, material”)). Doublet of materiel.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0