materialne

Materialne is a term used in some linguistic and academic contexts to denote the material dimension of reality—the tangible, physical substrate that makes up objects and processes. Derived from the Latin materia, via the form materialis, it is employed in philosophy, cultural studies, and materials science to distinguish matter and material properties from immaterial or conceptual aspects such as ideas, software, or social relations.

In philosophy, materialne refers to the substance or substrate of objects and events, including properties like mass, volume, density, and other measurable attributes. In cultural studies and archaeology, materialne culture or materialne aspects describe artifacts, buildings, tools, and other physical traces of past and present societies, emphasizing how material things shape social life, economies, and knowledge production.

In engineering and materials science, “materialne” may be used as an umbrella term for properties and behaviors of substances and composites, including mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, and durability, necessary for design and analysis.

The concept contrasts with immaterial or formal dimensions, such as information, software, or ceremonial meaning, highlighting the interaction between material constraints and human practices. Critics of a purely materialist view argue that social life emerges from the interaction of material and symbolic factors.

See also: material culture, materials science, ontology, materialism.