Hard matte is a term used to describe prints which are masked close to their intended aspect ratio, as opposed to open matte, which is printed full height regardless of intended projection aspect ratio. This mask may be applied in the camera, printer, or in a digital intermediate.
Hard matte prints are rarely printed to an exact aspect ratio. For example, a 1.85:1 matted print may actually be 1.80:1 to allow for some wiggle room for venues with undercut aperture plates.