Mattelike

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Showing a surface quality that is dull and lacking shine; having a subdued appearance without gloss or brightness; describing a texture that scatters light to reduce reflections
2. Exhibiting a finish that prevents glare by diffusing light; characterized by a non-reflective, cloudy or soft look; referring to an object’s appearance that avoids mirror-like sheen
3. Possessing a flat or muted surface effect that diminishes sharp reflections; indicating a finish that absorbs or scatters light rather than reflecting it clearly; denoting an attribute of satisfying a non-glossy, gentle visual impression

Etymology: "Mattelike" is a compound of two parts, and the story is mostly in the first. "Matte" comes from French "mat," meaning "dull" or "lacking polish," which in turn traces back to Arabic and Persian expressions for checkmate, "shah mat" meaning "the king is helpless." Chess players eventually applied the sense of defeat or lifelessness to surfaces that lacked shine. English took "matte" as a term for dull, unpolished finishes, particularly in the arts of painting, enamelling, and metalwork, where a surface was deliberately left without gloss. The suffix "-like" is the ordinary English one, meaning "resembling" or "having the character of," attached to a noun or adjective to form a new descriptive word. Put together, "mattelike" describes something that resembles a matte surface: one that scatters light diffusely instead of bouncing it back in a sharp reflection.