substance

/ˈsʌbstəns/SUHB-stuhns

Meaningwhat stands under

Common meaning: the material something is made of

Other meanings: the core of a matter

subunder; from below
stanto stand, be upright or stillLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1762 · scan
cenoun ending: being so, the quality of

‘under’ + ‘to stand, be upright or still’ → substance

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin stō ‘to stand, be upright or still’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry stō, p. 1762 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry STANZA, p. 591 · dictionary scan

Roots

stō, stetī, statum Latin “to stand, be upright or still”

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