matter-of-fact

The phrase "matter of fact" originated in legal and philosophical discourse in the 16th century to denote issues pertaining to empirical evidence and actual events, as opposed to "matters of law" or "matters of opinion." It is a direct calque, combining the Anglo-Norman/Latin-derived "matter" (subject for discussion) with the preposition "of" and "fact" (thing done, reality). By the early 18th century, it had coalesced into a hyphenated adjective describing a literal, unadorned, and emotionless manner of speaking or thinking, perfectly reflecting its component parts: being concerned solely with the subject (matter) connected (of) to reality (fact).

Structure: matter (substance/concern) + of (connection) + fact (reality) - matter: From Latin materia (substance, timber, subject of discourse). In this compound, it carries the sense of "subject" or "concern." - of: From Old English of, a preposition indicating origin, connection, or relation. - fact: From Latin factum (a thing done, deed, event), via Old French. It denotes an actual occurrence or piece of information accepted as real.