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I wondered why the term matrix had been chosen as the name for what otherwise looks like a table of numbers.

Is there any originator and (speculative) reasons why this term gained traction?
Do we know more about the connotations and implications behind this word choice?
Have these connotations evolved during the history of mathematics?

For general, present-day definitions in English:

XavierStuvw
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  • https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/630676/whats-a-matrix#:~:text=2-,Matrix%20means%20womb%2C%20in%20Latin.,the%20data%20needed%20to%20compute. – Alessio K Mar 01 '21 at 11:15
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    See Matrix – Mauro ALLEGRANZA Mar 01 '21 at 11:18
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    ‘Matrix’ was introduced by Sylvester in the first half of the 19th century. This latin word can mean (among other meanings) ‘strain’ or ‘origin’, because, from this table of numbers, you can derive what is now known as the minors of a matrix. – Bernard Mar 01 '21 at 11:19

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