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The subject or topic being studied, discussed, or taught
La physique est une matière difficile pour beaucoup d'étudiants.
Physics is a difficult subject for many students.
Commonly used in educational contexts to refer to academic subjects.
The substance or material from which something is made
La matière de ce meuble est du bois.
The material of this furniture is wood.
In this sense, it refers to the physical substance of an object.
The content or essence of something
Il a abordé la matière principale de la conférence.
He addressed the main content of the conference.
Used in a more abstract sense to refer to the core substance of an idea or discussion.
The meaning of 'la matière' changes significantly based on context. In education, it refers to subjects, while in science, it refers to materials.
Remember that 'la matière' can mean both 'subject' and 'material' depending on the context. Pay attention to the surrounding words to determine the correct meaning.
From Old French 'matiere', from Latin 'materia' meaning 'wood, material, substance'.
In educational contexts, 'la matière' is often used to refer to academic subjects, while in scientific contexts, it refers to physical substances.