What does substance mean?
Definitions for substance
ˈsʌb stənssub·stance
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word substance.
Princeton's WordNet
substancenoun
the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists
"DNA is the substance of our genes"
kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-grittynoun
the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
"the gist of the prosecutor's argument"; "the heart and soul of the Republican Party"; "the nub of the story"
meaning, substancenoun
the idea that is intended
"What is the meaning of this proverb?"
substancenoun
material of a particular kind or constitution
"the immune response recognizes invading substances"
means, substancenoun
considerable capital (wealth or income)
"he is a man of means"
message, content, subject matter, substancenoun
what a communication that is about something is about
substancenoun
a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties
"shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man"
Wiktionary
substancenoun
Physical matter; material.
substancenoun
The essential part of anything; the most vital part.
substancenoun
Considerable wealth or resources.
A man of substance.
substancenoun
Drugs
substance abuse
Etymology: From substance, from substantia, from substans, present active participle of substo, from sub + sto.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
SUBSTANCEnoun
Etymology: substance, Fr, substantia, Latin.
Since then the soul works by herself alone,
Springs not from sense, nor humours well agreeing,
Her nature is peculiar, and her own;
She is a substance, and a perfect being. Davies.The strength of gods,
And this empyreal substance cannot fail. John Milton.What creatures there inhabit, of what mold,
And substance. John Milton.Every being is considered as subsisting in and by itself, and then it is called a substance; or it subsists in and by another, and then it is called a mode or manner of being. Isaac Watts.
It will serve our turn to comprehend the substance, without confining ourselves to scrupulous exactness in form. Digby.
This edition is the same in substance with the Latin. Burn.
They are the best epitomes, and let you see with one cast of the eye the substance of a hundred pages. Addison.
Shadows to night
Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard,
Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers
Arm’d in proof and led by shallow Richard. William Shakespeare.He the future evil shall no less
In apprehension than in substance feel. John Milton.Heroick virtue did his actions guide,
And he the substance, not th’ appearance chose:
To rescue one such friend he took more pride,
Than to destroy whole thousands of such foes. Dryden.Between the parts of opake and coloured bodies are many spaces, either empty or replenished with mediums of other densities; as water between the tinging corpuscles wherewith any liquor is impregnated, air between the aqueous globules that constitute clouds or mists, and for the most part spaces void of both air and water; but yet perhaps not wholly void of all substance between the parts of hard bodies. Newton.
The qualities of plants are more various than those of animal substances. John Arbuthnot, on Aliments.
He hath eaten me out of house and home, and hath put all my substance into that fat belly of his, but I will have some of it out again. William Shakespeare, Henry IV.
We are destroying many thousand lives, and exhausting our substance, but not for our own interest. Jonathan Swift.
ChatGPT
substance
A substance refers to a form of matter that has a specific and distinct composition and properties. It can exist in various states such as solid, liquid, or gas, and can be either naturally occurring or artificially created. Substances can be classified into elements, compounds, or mixtures based on their composition and the way their atoms or molecules are arranged.
Webster Dictionary
Substancenoun
that which underlies all outward manifestations; substratum; the permanent subject or cause of phenomena, whether material or spiritual; that in which properties inhere; that which is real, in distinction from that which is apparent; the abiding part of any existence, in distinction from any accident; that which constitutes anything what it is; real or existing essence
Substancenoun
the most important element in any existence; the characteristic and essential components of anything; the main part; essential import; purport
Substancenoun
body; matter; material of which a thing is made; hence, substantiality; solidity; firmness; as, the substance of which a garment is made; some textile fabrics have little substance
Substancenoun
material possessions; estate; property; resources
Substancenoun
same as Hypostasis, 2
Substanceverb
to furnish or endow with substance; to supply property to; to make rich
Etymology: [F., fr. L. substantia, fr. substare to be under or present, to stand firm; sub under + stare to stand. See Stand.]
Wikidata
Substance
Substance is a 1987 compilation album by New Order, consisting of all of the band's singles at that point in their 12-inch versions, together with their respective B-side tracks. The then newly-released non-album single "True Faith" is also featured, along with its B-side "1963". The collection was released on vinyl, double CD, double cassette and Digital Audio Tape.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Substance
sub′stans, n. that in which qualities or attributes exist, the existence to which qualities belong: that which constitutes anything what it is: the essential part: body: matter: property: foundation, ground, confidence. [L. substantia—substāre, to stand under—sub, under, stāre, to stand.]
Matched Categories
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'substance' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4155
Nouns Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'substance' in Nouns Frequency: #1238
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
- [["1505","1"],["1515","1"],["1524","2"],["1563","2"],["1564","1"],["1572","13"],["1579","4"],["1581","29"],["1582","2"],["1584","1"],["1587","4"],["1588","2"],["1589","1"],["1590","26"],["1592","3"],["1593","3"],["1598","12"],["1600","23"],["1603","1"],["1605","1"],["1607","27"],["1610","1"],["1611","1"],["1619","1"],["1620","14"],["1623","10"],["1624","5"],["1626","1"],["1629","31"],["1630","14"],["1631","22"],["1634","15"],["1635","10"],["1636","2"],["1637","10"],["1638","3"],["1640","2"],["1641","1"],["1642","3"],["1643","2"],["1644","54"],["1645","3"],["1647","7"],["1648","6"],["1649","3"],["1650","10"],["1651","62"],["1652","15"],["1653","1"],["1654","2"],["1655","19"],["1656","69"],["1657","123"],["1658","73"],["1659","47"],["1660","5"],["1661","2"],["1662","3"],["1663","17"],["1664","33"],["1665","64"],["1666","5"],["1667","175"],["1668","47"],["1669","28"],["1670","19"],["1671","13"],["1672","76"],["1673","27"],["1675","20"],["1676","106"],["1677","89"],["1678","111"],["1679","86"],["1680","32"],["1681","198"],["1682","241"],["1683","126"],["1684","35"],["1685","105"],["1686","24"],["1687","10"],["1688","49"],["1689","20"],["1690","62"],["1691","5"],["1692","34"],["1693","20"],["1694","126"],["1695","15"],["1696","8"],["1697","51"],["1698","112"],["1699","41"],["1700","129"],["1701","139"],["1702","80"],["1703","93"],["1704","87"],["1705","70"],["1706","69"],["1707","72"],["1708","60"],["1709","35"],["1710","30"],["1711","45"],["1712","78"],["1713","43"],["1714","86"],["1715","24"],["1716","152"],["1717","132"],["1718","113"],["1719","88"],["1720","173"],["1721","99"],["1722","103"],["1723","296"],["1724","199"],["1725","810"],["1726","162"],["1727","198"],["1728","300"],["1729","114"],["1730","307"],["1731","186"],["1732","100"],["1733","80"],["1734","145"],["1735","96"],["1736","102"],["1737","625"],["1738","931"],["1739","125"],["1740","240"],["1741","93"],["1742","277"],["1743","131"],["1744","302"],["1745","801"],["1746","262"],["1747","324"],["1748","1395"],["1749","187"],["1750","449"],["1751","1577"],["1752","370"],["1753","701"],["1754","1040"],["1755","632"],["1756","336"],["1757","934"],["1758","976"],["1759","1533"],["1760","421"],["1761","641"],["1762","435"],["1763","1081"],["1764","1267"],["1765","1032"],["1766","1360"],["1767","1030"],["1768","1894"],["1769","644"],["1770","917"],["1771","910"],["1772","829"],["1773","1028"],["1774","1020"],["1775","1623"],["1776","1615"],["1777","1875"],["1778","1151"],["1779","783"],["1780","1129"],["1781","1159"],["1782","1450"],["1783","1119"],["1784","2798"],["1785","2350"],["1786","2255"],["1787","2467"],["1788","3760"],["1789","1733"],["1790","3785"],["1791","3079"],["1792","2320"],["1793","2178"],["1794","4975"],["1795","2898"],["1796","5273"],["1797","2332"],["1798","2692"],["1799","3230"],["1800","5049"],["1801","8006"],["1802","6458"],["1803","8124"],["1804","9676"],["1805","8242"],["1806","6112"],["1807","12734"],["1808","7712"],["1809","11252"],["1810","12017"],["1811","12657"],["1812","13612"],["1813","9944"],["1814","9065"],["1815","11800"],["1816","11864"],["1817","13373"],["1818","13247"],["1819","15151"],["1820","13628"],["1821","11761"],["1822","20651"],["1823","19566"],["1824","22899"],["1825","21888"],["1826","18520"],["1827","15841"],["1828","17711"],["1829","22602"],["1830","25095"],["1831","30601"],["1832","22943"],["1833","25396"],["1834","24564"],["1835","24496"],["1836","26678"],["1837","24622"],["1838","25714"],["1839","28842"],["1840","30520"],["1841","25385"],["1842","28238"],["1843","33336"],["1844","31215"],["1845","36912"],["1846","34370"],["1847","29970"],["1848","30900"],["1849","38622"],["1850","35859"],["1851","38487"],["1852","40163"],["1853","45516"],["1854","53354"],["1855","53022"],["1856","48058"],["1857","44196"],["1858","39063"],["1859","46075"],["1860","48198"],["1861","34997"],["1862","25146"],["1863","32373"],["1864","35530"],["1865","35248"],["1866","40191"],["1867","39422"],["1868","44256"],["1869","39706"],["1870","42502"],["1871","43290"],["1872","51720"],["1873","50705"],["1874","54760"],["1875","50217"],["1876","50454"],["1877","47083"],["1878","48669"],["1879","50610"],["1880","59527"],["1881","68989"],["1882","64240"],["1883","75049"],["1884","66782"],["1885","62583"],["1886","51717"],["1887","53386"],["1888","59164"],["1889","55060"],["1890","55549"],["1891","66459"],["1892","65527"],["1893","63534"],["1894","67390"],["1895","75623"],["1896","72529"],["1897","67615"],["1898","80032"],["1899","73850"],["1900","82970"],["1901","83329"],["1902","82763"],["1903","79668"],["1904","89202"],["1905","82330"],["1906","92936"],["1907","98417"],["1908","93845"],["1909","84431"],["1910","92121"],["1911","93130"],["1912","105060"],["1913","91985"],["1914","97978"],["1915","78720"],["1916","80346"],["1917","79118"],["1918","66121"],["1919","70165"],["1920","95323"],["1921","81932"],["1922","87037"],["1923","74759"],["1924","60496"],["1925","62916"],["1926","58172"],["1927","68944"],["1928","64464"],["1929","60148"],["1930","67220"],["1931","61306"],["1932","50311"],["1933","49929"],["1934","55734"],["1935","52776"],["1936","65191"],["1937","65476"],["1938","71589"],["1939","70002"],["1940","65383"],["1941","60099"],["1942","59358"],["1943","48551"],["1944","44285"],["1945","63392"],["1946","66805"],["1947","72585"],["1948","86325"],["1949","89295"],["1950","88783"],["1951","86079"],["1952","95163"],["1953","84961"],["1954","89064"],["1955","96467"],["1956","96471"],["1957","104427"],["1958","105353"],["1959","111822"],["1960","121693"],["1961","130197"],["1962","143728"],["1963","155888"],["1964","143496"],["1965","160108"],["1966","172174"],["1967","162177"],["1968","175347"],["1969","163529"],["1970","164411"],["1971","163562"],["1972","164075"],["1973","160826"],["1974","160617"],["1975","158216"],["1976","163014"],["1977","158783"],["1978","154288"],["1979","162093"],["1980","166747"],["1981","167458"],["1982","172375"],["1983","171305"],["1984","180800"],["1985","193365"],["1986","197613"],["1987","196665"],["1988","211242"],["1989","223007"],["1990","240729"],["1991","231058"],["1992","251721"],["1993","256972"],["1994","271177"],["1995","287510"],["1996","308525"],["1997","320057"],["1998","337379"],["1999","355064"],["2000","374118"],["2001","392782"],["2002","423958"],["2003","456224"],["2004","495843"],["2005","476067"],["2006","521136"],["2007","555748"],["2008","713012"]]
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of substance in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of substance in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Examples of substance in a Sentence
The debate is going to be decided on body language, tone and temperament. It will all be about tone and demeanor and much less about substance.
ALASKA WOMAN GETS 60 YEARS FOR SETTING COUCH ABLAZE WITH BOYFRIEND ON IT Contra Costa Fire Department spokesman Steve Hill said the tanks held varying amounts of ethanol. One tank alone contained around 167,000 gallons of the flammable substance. Approximately 200 firefighters were battling the blazes using foam on the flames and water to cool adjacent tanks to prevent them from catching fire. Officials closed Interstate 80, one of the busiest in the Bay Area at the peak of rush hour, causing major traffic jams.The California Highway Patrol said the closure was expected to last at least until midnight. CALIFORNIA LYFT DRIVER IS PULLED OVER SO POLICE CAN ARREST HER PASSENGER One Rodeo resident, One Rodeo resident, told The Associated Press he was sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic trying to get home to his teenage son. His son had called him to say he heard a loud explosion. It literally rocked the house and then soon after, he heard what sounded like a jet plane.
I think it is highly important to use both our study and other studies to highlight and emphasize that cannabis use is not harmless, there is, unfortunately, evidence to suggest that cannabis is increasingly seen as a somewhat harmless substance. This is unfortunate, since we see links with schizophrenia, poorer cognitive function, substance use disorders, etc.
I look at it as purely a sentiment-driven market. There's no new news that's any kind of substance that's driving this.
We know that there are many individuals in this country who are struggling with suicidal concerns, with mental health or substance use concerns, who aren’t able to access the care that they need. And in many respects, historically, because of funding limitations or other limitations, the system has let them down, so, this is truly an opportunity with 988 – as a catalytic moment – to be able to transform the crisis care system to better meet those needs in a less restrictive, more person-centered, more treatment- and recovery-oriented way.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for substance
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- مادةArabic
- substànciaCatalan, Valencian
- látkaCzech
- hovedindhold, masse, formue, substansDanish
- Stoff, SubstanzGerman
- περιουσία, ουσία, ουσίεςGreek
- substancoEsperanto
- sustanciaSpanish
- materia, vara, substanssi, ydin, aineFinnish
- substance, biensFrench
- mianachIrish
- susbaintScottish Gaelic
- substanciaGalician
- חומר, תוכןHebrew
- पदार्थHindi
- szer, lényeg, vagyon, anyag, tartalomHungarian
- zatIndonesian
- sostanzaItalian
- חוֹמHebrew
- 本質, 骨子, 物質, 実体Japanese
- substantiaLatin
- vielaLatvian
- matūMāori
- narkotika, stoff, substansNorwegian
- substantieDutch
- formue, masse, narkotika, substansNorwegian
- majątek, narkotyk, substancja, istotaPolish
- riqueza, substânciaPortuguese
- narcotic, substanță, droguri, drogRomanian
- материя, сущность, вещество, субстанция, весRussian
- ämne, resurs, substansSwedish
- பொருள்Tamil
- పదార్థముTelugu
- maddeTurkish
- vật chấtVietnamese
- 物质Chinese
Get even more translations for substance »
Translation
Find a translation for the substance definition in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Word of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?
Citation
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"substance." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 17 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/substance>.
Discuss these substance definitions with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In