matrix

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A situation or surrounding substance within which something else originates, develops, or is contained: "Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every form of freedom” ( Benjamin N. Cardozo).
2. n. The womb.
3. n. Anatomy The formative cells or tissue of a fingernail, toenail, or tooth.
4. n. Anatomy See ground substance.
5. n. Geology The solid matter in which a fossil or crystal is embedded.
6. n. Geology Groundmass.
7. n. A mold or die.
8. n. The principal metal in an alloy, as the iron in steel.
9. n. A binding substance, as cement in concrete.
10. n. Mathematics A rectangular array of numeric or algebraic quantities subject to mathematical operations.
11. n. Something resembling such an array, as in the regular formation of elements into columns and rows.
12. n. Computer Science The network of intersections between input and output leads in a computer, functioning as an encoder or a decoder.
13. n. Printing A mold used in stereotyping and designed to receive positive impressions of type or illustrations from which metal plates can be cast. Also called mat².
14. n. Printing A metal plate used for casting typefaces.
15. n. An electroplated impression of a phonograph record used to make duplicate records.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The womb; the uterus.
2. n. Hence That which incloses anything, or gives origin to anything, like a womb. A mold which gives form to material forced into it in a solid condition, or poured into it in a fluid state and allowed to harden before removal.
3. n. In mathematics, a rectangular array of quantities, usually square: so called because considered as a mold or set of compartments into which a certain number of quantities can be put, the leaving of one of the spaces unoccupied being in effect to put zero there. : The matrix is consequently a multiple quantity having as many dimensions as it has spaces. The numbers in the spaces are called the constituents of the matrix. The following definitions relate to square matrices. The vertical lines of numbers are called the columns, the horizontal ones the rows. The diagonal running from the upper left hand to the lower right hand corner is called the principal diagonal. Constituents symmetrically situated with reference to the principal diagonal are said to be conjugate. A matrix in which every constituent is equal to its conjugate is said to be symmetrical; if all the constituents along each diagonal band transverse to the principal diagonal are equal, the matrix is said to be persymmetrical. The addition of matrices is so understood that the sum of two like matrices is a matrix every constituent of which is equal to the sum of the corresponding constituents of the parts. The multiplication of two like square matrices is so understood that the product is a matrix whose construction is of the kind shown in the following example
4. n. a matrix with p columns and q rows. The types of two matrices are said to be complementary when p—p = q + q.

Wiktionary

1. n. The womb.
2. n. biology The material or tissue in which more specialized structures are embedded.
3. n. biology An extracellular matrix, the material or tissue between the cells of animals or plants.
4. n. biology Part of the mitochondrion.
5. n. biology The medium in which bacteria are cultured.
6. n. mathematics A rectangular arrangement of numbers or terms having various uses such as transforming coordinates in geometry, solving systems of linear equations in linear algebra and representing graphs in graph theory.
7. n. computing A two-dimensional array.
8. n. A table of data.
9. n. geology A geological matrix, the outer material of a rock consisting of larger grains embedded in a material consisting of smaller ones.
10. n. archaeology The sediment surrounding and including the artifacts, features, and other materials at a site.
11. n. analytical chemistry The environment from which a given sample is taken.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Anat.) The womb.
2. n. That which gives form or origin to anything.
3. n. (Mech.) The cavity in which anything is formed, and which gives it shape; a die; a mold, as for the face of a type.
4. n. (Min.) The earthy or stony substance in which metallic ores or crystallized minerals are found; the gangue.
5. n. (Dyeing) The five simple colors, black, white, blue, red, and yellow, of which all the rest are composed.
6. n. (Biol.) The lifeless portion of tissue, either animal or vegetable, situated between the cells; the intercellular substance.
7. n. (Math.) A rectangular arrangement of symbols in rows and columns. The symbols may express quantities or operations.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. (mathematics) a rectangular array of quantities or expressions set out by rows and columns; treated as a single element and manipulated according to rules
2. n. mold used in the production of phonograph records, type, or other relief surface
3. n. the body substance in which tissue cells are embedded
4. n. an enclosure within which something originates or develops (from the Latin for womb)
5. n. the formative tissue at the base of a nail
6. n. (geology) amass of fine-grained rock in which fossils, crystals, or gems are embedded