rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -alis
Latin

-alis

of, relating to

Forms

  • -alis
  • -aris — Latin variant especially used when the stem already contained l, avoiding a repeated l sound.
  • -al — English ending borrowed through French or directly from Latin.
  • -ar — English ending continuing Latin -aris.

Origin

An older Latin adjective-forming suffix; its more remote ancestry is uncertain.

Note

Expresses a relationship without specifying its kind: material, place, purpose, and other connections are possible.

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noun

materiality

muh-teer-ee-AL-uh-tee/mʌtˌɪriˈælɪti/

Importance or relevance to a decision or issue.

The broken joint's materiality outweighs the attractive upholstery when judging the chair's safety.

Materiality shown through the contrast between cosmetic details and a structural defect during a chair assessment: attractive upholstery is set aside while a broken load-bearing joint becomes the focus of the decision.
Etymology
materiLatinmaterial, substance, or timber
+alLatinof, relating to
+ityLatina quality or state

Matter can mean not only physical substance but also a subject under consideration. Materiality connects with that second meaning: it is the quality of being important to the matter at hand, not necessarily of being physical.

In context

Tony Bell7:19
the concept of materiality just is how large a number needs to be to impact your decision.
IFA1 – Intro to Intermediate Accounting – The Conceptual Framework Explained

More examples

  • Auditors assess the materiality of errors in the financial statements.
  • The committee questions the materiality of the change to its decision.
  • The insurer disputes the materiality of the omitted information.

Forms

materiality

material adjective — Important or relevant to an issue.

Similar words

relevance
Emphasizes connection to an issue rather than its importance.
importance
Expresses general significance without requiring relevance to a particular decision.