matt
Translation
matte, dull, listless, checkmate
Examples
Die Farbe an der Wand ist matt.
The paint on the wall is matte.
Nach der langen Wanderung war ich matt.
I was listless after the long hike.
Der König ist jetzt matt.
The king is now in checkmate.
Grammar Patterns
sth. is matt sth. is dull/matte The colour is matt.
to feel matt to feel listless/weak I feel matt today.
to checkmate sb. ((sb.)) to checkmate sb. He checkmated me in three moves.
Similar Words
Synonyms: glanzlos (dull), müde (tired); Antonyms: glänzend (shiny), fit (fit, energetic)
Etymology
From Old French 'mat' (defeated), from Arabic 'māta' (he is dead), related to chess 'checkmate' (šāh māt - the king is dead).
Memory Tips
Connect the meanings: being 'checkmated' (matt) in chess makes you feel defeated and weak (matt). A surface with no life/shine is also 'matt' (dull).