matrix

matrix ['mei.triks] n., pl. matrices or matrixes. — ORIGIN Latin, ‘womb’, from mater ‘mother’.

1. A situation or surrounding substance within which something else originates, develops, or is contained: “Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every form of freedom” (Benjamin N. Cardozo).
2. The womb.
3. Anatomy a. The formative cells or tissue of a fingernail, toenail, or tooth. b. The intercellular material in which the cells and fibers of connective tissue are embedded.
4. Geology a. a mass of fine-grained rock in which gems, crystals, or fossils are embedded. b. Groundmass.
5. A mold or die.
6. The principal metal in an alloy, as the iron in steel.
7. A binding substance, as cement in concrete.
8. Mathematics a. A rectangular array of numeric or algebraic quantities subject to mathematical operations. b. Something resembling such an array, as in the regular formation of elements into columns and rows. c. a grid-like array of elements; a lattice.
9. Computer Science The network of intersections between input and output leads in a computer, functioning as an encoder or a decoder.
10. Printing a. A mold used in stereotyping and designed to receive positive impressions of type or illustrations from which metal plates can be cast. b. A metal plate used for casting typefaces.
11. An electroplated impression of a phonograph record used to make duplicate records.

12. A specially shaped instrument, plastic material, or metal strip for holding and shaping the material used in filling a tooth cavity.

13. Fanciful term for a cyberspace expected to emerge from current networking experiments.

14. The totality of present-day computer networks.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language/The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing/Compact Oxford English Dictionary.