maters

In Appalachian and Southern talk, maters means tomatoes - fresh from the garden, sliced for a sandwich, or stewin’ in a pot.

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Pronunciation

[MAY-ters]

Meaning & Usage

- Tomatoes (noun)

Elmer:

Whatcha plant this year?

Estel:

Corn, beans, and a mess o’ maters.

other spellings: tomaters, and 'taters

★ If you hear "homegrown maters," expect something that tastes better than anything you’ll find in a store. ★

Origin

"Maters" is a clipped, informal pronunciation of "tomatoes," common in rural American English and especially in Appalachian speech.

Notes

Almost always plural and almost always referring to garden-grown tomatoes. When fried green tomatoes are on the menu, they’re still just "maters" ’til someone says otherwise.

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Common Questions

Do "maters" mean all tomatoes?

Yes - though in everyday Appalachian talk, folks often mean red, ripe, garden tomatoes.

Where does "maters" come from?

It’s simply a shortened form of "tomatoes," passed down through generations of casual speech.

Is "maters" formal?

Nope - it’s pure country slang, best served with salt and maybe mayonnaise on white bread.