English Dictionary
Definition of “substance”
substance (ˈsʌbstəns
)
Definitions
noun
- the tangible matter of which a thing consists
- a specific type of matter, esp a homogeneous material with a definite composition
- the essence, meaning, etc, of a written or spoken thought
- solid or meaningful quality
- material density ⇒
a vacuum has no substance
- material possessions or wealth ⇒
a man of substance
- philosophy
- the supposed immaterial substratum that can receive modifications and in which attributes and accidents inhere
- a thing considered as a continuing whole that survives the changeability of its properties
- Christian Science that which is eternal
- a euphemistic term for any illegal drug
- See in substance
Alternative Forms
ˈsubstanceless adjective Word Origin
C13: via Old French from Latin substantia, from substāre, from sub- + stāre to stand
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
meaning,
main point
gist,
matter,
subject,
theme,
import,
significance,
essence,
pith,
burden,
sum and substance
gravamen,
Translations
- British English:
substance
A substance is a solid, powder, liquid, or gas....a soft black substance that smells like fresh soil.ˈsʌbstəns NOUN ...a soft black substance that smells like fresh soil.
- Spanish:
sustancia
nf
- French:
substance
nf
- German:
Substanz
nf
- Chinese: 物质 n
- Arabic: مَادَة n
- Portuguese: substância nf
- Russian: вещество nnt
- Croatian: supstanca nf
- Czech: hmota nf
- Danish: substans nutr
- Dutch: substantie nf
- Finnish: aine n
- Greek: ουσία nf
- Italian: sostanza nf
- Japanese: 物質 n
- Korean: 물질 n
- Norwegian: stoff nnt
- Polish: substancja nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: substância nf
- European Spanish:
sustancia
nf
- Swedish: ämne nnt
- Thai: เนื้อหาสาระ n
- Turkish: madde n
- Vietnamese: chất n
Usage examples
His shoes had been spattered with a curious white substance.
Adam, Paul, A Nasty Dose of Death (1994)At all levels of our life we seem to live more and more with the thing deprived of its substance.
Spiked (2002)He had tested positive for the banned substance methamphetamine, which he says was contained in a nasal inhaler purchased locally.
Irish Times (2002)I disliked him fairly thoroughly by halfway through, noting that I'd call him a rat, except that rats have more substance.
Glasgow Herald (2001)She might always be present, but she was ephemeral, without substance in his heart.
Alexandra Connor, THE TURN OF THE TIDE (2004)
