Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MA-TE'RI-AL, a. [It. materiale; Fr. materiel; Sp. material; from L. materia, matter.]

1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; as, material substance; material bodies.
2. Important; momentous; more or less necessary; having influence or effect. Hold them for Catholics or heretics, it is not a thing very material in this question. Hooker. In the account of simple ideas, I shall set down only such as are most material to our present purpose. Locke. So we say, a material point; a material fault or error; a material fact or consideration.
3. Not formal; substantial.
4. Furnishing materials; as, material men. Wheaton, Rep.