mattress

noun

mat·​tress ˈma-trəs How to pronounce mattress (audio)
plural mattresses
1
a
: a fabric case filled with resilient material (such as cotton, hair, feathers, foam rubber, or an arrangement of coiled springs) used either alone as a bed or on a bedstead
b
: a soft, airtight case that is designed to be inflated and used as a bed : air mattress
2
: a device (as of interwoven brush and poles) used to protect a shoreline, bank, or streambed from erosion

Examples of mattress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This handheld vacuum comes with a dozen accessories, including tools for cleaning up the mattresses, above the furniture, or those stubborn couch crevices. Gabriela Vatu, PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024 With proper sleep and recovery being vital to a healthy lifestyle, choosing the best mattress, sheets and pillows are significant decisions. Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024 Serpas scavenges discarded mattresses, medicine balls, collapsible tent frames, old carpets and broken mirrors. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 Investigators later recovered Mahogany’s body – under two mattresses – at a Birmingham, Ala., dumpsite. Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Because the church once housed a preschool, fire officials were quick to let Reeser open its doors to migrants, and now up to 29 people a night sleep on mattresses in the gym after getting a hot meal. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2024 But Hernandez will be rolling out a plan for reducing trash and clearing away bulky items — sofas, mattresses and so on — from parts of Westlake and Pico-Union. David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 One worker said he was assigned a closet that was barely large enough for a twin-size mattress. Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 27 Feb. 2024 Live bed bugs in the seams, piping and folds of your mattress. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mattress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English materas, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin materacium, from Arabic maṭraḥ place where something is thrown

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mattress was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mattress

Cite this Entry

“Mattress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mattress. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mattress

noun
mat·​tress ˈma-trəs How to pronounce mattress (audio)
1
: a fabric case filled with springy material used as a bed or on a bedstead
2
: a sack that can be filled with air or water and used as a mattress
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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