Where does “substance” come from?

substance (Old French) comes from Latin substantia, from Latin substāns, from Latin substō, from Latin sub, from Proto-Italic supo, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.

substance (Old French): most essential; substantial part; existence

Definitions

  1. most essential; substantial part; existence

Ancestry of “substance”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsubstantiasubstance, essence, material, contents; fortune,...
2Latinsubstāns—
3Latinsubstōto hold out, to stand firm
4Latinsubunder, beneath; behind; at the feet of
5Proto-Italicsupounder
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—

Words derived from “substance”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European upó →Every word from Proto-Italic supo →