mattress

C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈmætɹɪs/ See IPA manual

Freq #6995

Meanings

1

noun
A form of lagging, in particular for boilers.

Spun glass mattresses are used for lagging the boiler, which has three Ross pop safety valves on the front ring.
2

verb
To cover with a thick layer, like a mattress; to blanket.

A comfortable litter of pine needles had mattressed the ground and spreading branches had been a canopy overhead.
3

noun
a large thick pad filled with resilient material and often incorporating coiled springs, used as a bed or part of a bed
4

noun
A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed with cloth fabric.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Derived forms mattresslikemattressyovermattress

Related forms futon

Simplified etymology

Mattress entered Middle English from Arabic maṭraḥ, meaning “a place where something is thrown,” and hence a carpet, cushion, or bed.

Etymology

From Middle English materas, from Old French, from Arabic مَطْرَح (maṭraḥ, “place where something is thrown”), from طَرَحَ (ṭaraḥa, “to throw”). Compare divan, from Persian via Turkish (both of Middle Eastern origin, due to the local custom of lying on padding on floor being foreign to Europeans).

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# mattress

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈmætɹɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 6995

## Meanings
1. A form of lagging, in particular for boilers.
2. To cover with a thick layer, like a mattress; to blanket.
3. a large thick pad filled with resilient material and often incorporating coiled springs, used as a bed or part of a bed
4. A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed with cloth fabric.

## Examples
- Spun glass mattresses are used for lagging the boiler, which has three Ross pop safety valves on the front ring.
- A comfortable litter of pine needles had mattressed the ground and spreading branches had been a canopy overhead.

## Derived Forms
- mattresslike
- mattressy
- overmattress

## Related Forms
- futon

## Etymology
From Middle English materas, from Old French, from Arabic مَطْرَح (maṭraḥ, “place where something is thrown”), from طَرَحَ (ṭaraḥa, “to throw”). Compare divan, from Persian via Turkish (both of Middle Eastern origin, due to the local custom of lying on padding on floor being foreign to Europeans).

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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