Appeared or became real and visible, especially something that was previously just an idea or possibility.
From Latin 'materialis' meaning 'of matter' combined with the suffix '-ize.' The word evolved from philosophical discussions about matter (physical stuff) becoming actual physical form. By the 1800s, it took on the metaphorical meaning of ideas becoming real.
The cool thing about 'materialize' is that it literally means 'to become material' or 'to gain matter'—so it perfectly describes the moment when something abstract suddenly becomes solid and real, like when a ghost 'materializes' in a movie.
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