mat
/mæt/noun
Early Childhood
1
A flat piece of coarse material used for wiping one’s feet, or as a decorative or protective floor covering.
2
A small flat piece of material used to protect a surface from anything hot or rough; a coaster.
3
A floor pad to protect athletes.
4
A thickly tangled mess.
5
A thin layer of woven, non-woven, or knitted fiber that serves as reinforcement to a material.
6
A thin surface layer; superficial cover.
Sound Patterns & Rhymes
Alliteration
Words starting with the same consonant sound — used in poetry and prose to create rhythm, emphasis, and memorable phrasing (e.g. “Peter Piper picked”)
Assonance
Words sharing similar vowel sounds regardless of starting letter — creates internal melody in writing