substance English · revision 6499

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300|origins=la sto}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsʌbstəns/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English substaunce, [[bor|fro|substance]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la|substantia|t=being, essence, material]], from [[m|la|substans]], the present participle of [[m|la|substo|alt=substāre|t=to stand firm, be under]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) from [[m|la|sub-|t=under]] and [[m|la|sto|alt=stāre|t=to stand]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Latin substantia translates Greek [[m|grc|οὐσία|tr=ousía|t=being, essence]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Essential nature, especially the divine essence shared by the persons of the Trinity: before 1300 in the OED and Barnhart, about 1300 in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In philosophy, that which exists by itself, or which underlies phenomena, is from the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Any kind of physical matter is from the mid-14th century,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) and a particular kind of matter from before 1393, in Gower.^(Barnhart 1988) Wealth or possessions, as in ''a man of substance'', is first found in ''Cursor Mundi'' (before 1325).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The content of a speech or book is from the late 14th century, and its meaning as distinct from its style by 1780.^(Etymonline) A drug, especially an illegal one, is a ''substance'', as in ''substance abuse''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) In Warwickshire and Gloucestershire dialect a substance was a tumour.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – essential nature.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1325 – wealth.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * mid-14th century – matter; in philosophy.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1393 – a particular kind of matter.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1780 – meaning as opposed to style.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A particular kind of [[matter]] with uniform properties: ''a toxic substance''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The real physical matter of which something consists.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The essential meaning or most important part of something; the [[gist]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Importance, solidity or reality: ''rumours without substance''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[drug]], especially an illegal one.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(formal)'' Wealth: ''a woman of substance''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[substanceless]]

+ * [[ground substance]]

+ * [[queen substance]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[subsist]]

+ * [[substantial]]

+ * [[substantive]]

+ * [[substantiate]]

+ * [[stand]]

+ * [[stance]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}