matted

¹ American  

[mat-id] / ˈmæt ɪd /

adjective

1. covered with a dense growth or a tangled mass.

   a garden matted with weeds.

2. formed into a mat; entangled in a thick mass.

   matted hair.

3. formed of mats, or of plaited or woven material.

4. covered with mats or matting.

---

matted ² American  

[mat-id] / ˈmæt ɪd /

adjective

1. having a dull finish; matte.

---

matted British  

/ ˈmætɪd /

adjective

1. tangled into a thick mass

   matted hair

2. covered with or formed of matting

---

Other Word Forms

• mattedly adverb
• mattedness noun

Etymology

Origin of matted¹

First recorded in 1600–10; mat ¹ + -ed ²

Origin of matted²

First recorded in 1815–25; matte ¹ + -ed ²

Explanation

Matted things are snarled into a twisted mat. If you never brush your long hair, it will become matted and soon you will be in dreadlocks. Silky hair easily becomes matted, and so does the fur of long-haired animals. Many sheep are covered with a dense, matted wool that is sheared off every year and spun into yarn for making sweaters and blankets. The adjective matted comes from mat, which originally meant "tangled mass," from the Late Latin matta, "mat made of rushes."

Example Sentences

However, many dogs were found with "matted and crusted coats" that required treatment.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

The schoolhouse is a dull, matted red, as are other architectural elements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

When you got away from the individual hairs, and now you had these brushstrokes that felt more like matted fur again, there was an interesting reality that came from that.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2025

As erosion slows, marsh and streamside vegetation is rebounding and putting down densely matted root systems that can increasingly stand firm against flooding, or surging waves.

From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2024

The boy went past, his hair matted with sweat.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy