dead matter

Definitions

Organic material that is no longer living, such as decaying plant or animal tissue.

In printing or publishing, material that has been set in type but is no longer needed for current use.

Examples

The forest floor was covered in a thick layer of dead matter that provided nutrients for the new seedlings.

Decomposers play a vital role in the ecosystem by breaking down dead matter into organic soil components.

Synonyms

inanimate matter nonliving material inert substance lifeless organic matter decaying biological material

Antonyms

living matter animate substance biotic material living organism life form