matrix

Meaning

1. The cavity or mold in which anything is formed.
2. The womb.
3. The metaphorical place where something is made, formed, or given birth.
4. The material or tissue in which more specialized structures are embedded.
5. An extracellular matrix, the material or tissue between the cells of animals or plants.
6. Part of the mitochondrion.
7. The medium in which bacteria are cultured.
8. A table of data.
9. 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.
10. A two-dimensional array.
11. Alternative letter-case form of Matrix; a controlled environment or situation in which people behave in ways that conform to pre-determined roles.
12. A grid-like arrangement of electronic components, especially one intended for information coding, decoding or storage.
13. A simulated reality to which many humans are connected. In some works created by sentient machines to subdue humans.
14. A social institution or apparatus perceived as largely deceptive or illusory.

Etymology / origin

From Middle English matris, matrice, matrix, from Old French matrice (“pregnant animal”), or from Latin mātrīx (“dam, womb”), both ultimately from māter (“mother”). Doublet of mother from Indo-European ancestor. Slang usage coined with the 1999 sci-fi action film The Matrix.

Related words

Descendant words

• մաթրիքս(Armenian) (bor)
• ماتريكس(Egyptian Arabic) (bor)
• matriksi(Finnish) (cog)
• 母型(Japanese) (cog)

Sources

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