Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

matrix

/ˈmeɪ.tɹɪks/ noun

Latin root: mātrīx Coined: 1999 Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about matrix at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The cavity or mold in which anything is formed.
The womb.
The metaphorical place where something is made, formed, or given birth.

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word