matū
1. (noun) fat, gist (of a matter), richness, sense, point, spirit, quintessence.
Ka whakatakotoria e Kepa te matū o ngā kōrero tuku iho me ngā whakapapa o Te Arawa, rite tonu ki te mahi a tōna tipuna, a Ānaha Te Rāhui (TTR 2000:35). / Kepa, just like his grandfather Ānaha Te Rāhu, set down a rich body of Te Arawa history and whakapapa.
Synonyms: mōmona, haumako, tairongo, aronga, ārohirohi, wairua, tino, matamata, tongi, hiku, kūmore, raenga, akitu, paina, ngahu, tāmore, koi, koinga, toi, toitoi, tihi, tara, mata
2. (noun) material, matter (science), substance, chemical.
Ko ā rātou tautohetohe e hāngai ana ki ētahi take o ēnei wā (pēnei i te tēpoko, i te pūkōwhai rānei i roto i te wai) kia puta ai he māramatanga mō te pānga o ētahi matū ki te tinana. / Their debates relate to current causes (such as asbestos or fluoride in the water) so that there's some enlightenment concerning the effect of some substances on the body.
