Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “substanceless” come from?

substanceless (English) comes from English substance, from Middle English substance, from Old French substance, from Latin substantia, from Latin substāns, from Latin substō, from Latin sub, from Proto-Italic supo.

substanceless (English): Devoid of substance; insubstantial

Definitions

  1. Devoid of substance; insubstantial

Ancestry of “substanceless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsubstancePhysical matter; material; The essential part of...
2Middle Englishsubstance—
3Old Frenchsubstancemost essential; substantial part; existence
4Latinsubstantiasubstance, essence, material, contents; fortune,...
5Latinsubstāns—
6Latinsubstō—
7Latinsubunder, beneath; behind; at the feet of
8Proto-Italicsupo—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →