materiella

Materiella is a term used in several Nordic languages as the inflected form of the adjective material or material-related. In academic writing, materiella commonly refers to the material dimension of social life or to material culture—the tangible objects, spaces, infrastructures, and technologies that shape human activity.

Within philosophy and anthropology, the concept of materiality investigates how matter and material arrangements influence social relations, knowledge production, and daily practices, alongside or in contrast to ideas, representations, or software. In cultural studies, materiella objects—tools, buildings, machines, garments—are studied to understand production, exchange, and meaning within societies.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from Latin materia and spread through European languages. In Swedish, Norwegian, and related languages, materiella serves as the inflected form of the adjective material for plural nouns.

The term is used primarily in educated or technical contexts rather than in everyday speech, reflecting its role in academic discourse on culture, technology, and society.

See also: Material culture, Materiality, Artefact, Technology studies, Cultural materialism.