Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “substantial” come from?

Substantial comes from Old French substantiel, meaning relating to substance or essential nature.

substantial (English): Having a substance; actually existing; Not...

Definitions

  1. Having a substance; actually existing; Not...

Ancestry of “substantial”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchsubstantielsubstantial
2Latinsubstantialisof or pertaining to the essence or substance;...
3Latinsubstantiasubstance, essence, material, contents; fortune,...
4Latinsubstāns—
5Latinsubstō—
6Latinsubunder, beneath; behind; at the feet of
7Proto-Italicsupo—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—

Words derived from “substantial”

  • substantially
  • insubstantial
  • unsubstantial
  • substantiality
  • insubstantiality
  • substantialist
  • substantialism
  • unsubstantiality
  • nonsubstantial
  • supersubstantial
  • substantialization
  • unsubstantially
  • substantialize
  • substantialness
  • substantialise
  • supersubstantially
  • unsubstantialize
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →