substance

CEFRB2

/ˈsʌbstəns/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A particular type of material or matter.

  2. 02

    noun

    The main or important idea in something.

Examples

  • It was an argument of little substance.

  • The substance is light enough to float on the water.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • [ˈsʌbstənts]

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The essential part of anything; the most vital part.

  2. Physical matter; material.

  3. A form of matter that has constant chemical composition and characteristic properties.

More examples

In context

  • Salt is a useful substance.

  • 1684-1690, Thomas Burnet, Sacred Theory of the Earth This edition is the same in substance with the Latin.

  • Some textile fabrics have little substance.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The chemist carefully examined the unknown blank to identify its composition.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Inherited from Middle English substance, from Old French substance, from Latin substantia (“substance, essence”), from substāns, present active participle of substō (“exist”, literally “stand under”), from sub + stō (“stand”). Displaced native Old English andweorc.