Real Dictionary

matte
adjective: A matte color, paint, or surface is dull rather than shiny.

matte in American English 1
an impure mixture of sulfides that is produced in smelting the sulfide ores of copper, nickel, lead, etc.
adjective: having a dull or lusterless surface
noun: a dull or dead surface, often slightly roughened, as on metals, paint, paper, or glass

matte in American English 2
a dull surface or finish, often roughened
not shiny or glossy; dull
noun: a mass of timber caved beneath overburden so as to cushion the fall of the overburden and separate it from mineral to be extracted beneath

matte in British English 1
noun: an impure fused material consisting of metal sulphides produced during the smelting of a sulphide ore

matte in British English 2
noun: a mask used to blank out part of an image so that another image can be superimposed