Substance Definition

sŭbstəns
substances
noun
substances
That which has mass and occupies space; matter.
American Heritage
The real or essential part or element of anything; essence, reality, or basic matter.
Webster's New World
The physical matter of which a thing consists; material.
Webster's New World
Matter of a particular kind or chemical composition.
Webster's New World
A drug, chemical, or other material (such as glue) that one is dependent on or uses habitually and that is often illegal or subject to government regulation.
Which substance was he abusing?
American Heritage
Antonyms:
idiom
in substance
  • with regard to essential elements
  • actually; really
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Substance

Noun

Singular:
substance
Plural:
substances

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Substance

  • in substance

Origin of Substance

  • Middle English from Old French from Latin substantia from substāns substant- present participle of substāre to be present sub- sub- stāre to stand stā- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old French substance, from Latin substantia (“substance, essence"), from substāns, present active participle of substō (“exist; literally, stand under"), from sub + stō (“stand").

    From Wiktionary

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