Material

Definition

Material means important enough to change a decision or outcome. Real, by contrast, means genuine and authentic, not fake or artificial. Material focuses on substantive importance and consequence. Real focuses on authenticity and genuineness.

What it describes

A company signs a contract to buy steel from a supplier. The contract states that the steel must be of a certain quality. When the steel arrives, it is full of cracks and rust. The factory cannot use it. The company sues the supplier. In court, the judge says that the quality of steel is not a small detail – it directly affects whether the contract can be fulfilled. What kind of evidence is this? It is material evidence.

Examples in context

• The witness hid material information that would have changed the verdict.
• A material error in the report forced the company to reissue it.