substantial - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English substancial, substantiall, from Old French substanciel, substantiel and its etymon Latin substantiālis.[1][2]

substantial (comparative more substantial, superlative most substantial)

  1. Having a substance; actually existing.
    substantial life
  2. Not imaginary; real; actual; true; veritable.
    • 1850s, Cardinal John Henry Newman, The Rise and Progress of Universities
      to do some substantial good, is the compensation for much incidental imperfection
  3. Corporeal; material; firm.
  4. Having good substance; strong; stout; solid; firm.
    Synonym: sturdy
    substantial cloth
    a substantial fence or wall
  5. (law) Addressing the substance of an injury
    Substantial damages (i.e. damages set at a level that exactly covers the plaintiff's losses; synonym: compensatory damgages)
  6. Possessed of goods or an estate; moderately wealthy.
    a substantial freeholder
  7. Large in size, quantity, or value; ample; significant.
    Synonyms: healthy (informal), serious (informal)
    He inherited a substantial amount of money from his uncle.
    A substantial number of people went to the event.
    • 1927, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados Mysteries:
      The blind man laughed and a substantial coin found its billet in the caretaker's never-reluctant palm.
  8. Most important; essential.
  9. Satisfying; having sufficient substance to be nourishing or filling.
    I don't just want a snack; I need something substantial.
    Teddy had a few crackers in his backpack, but he needed something more substantial if he was to survive a three-day trek.
    • 1992, “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite”, in Automatic for the People, performed by R.E.M.:
      Baby, instant soup doesn't really grab me / Today I need something more sub-sub-sub-substantial / A can of beans or black-eyed peas, some Nescafe and ice

having substance, actually existing

not imaginary; real; veritable

corporeal

having good substance; strong; firm

possessed of goods or an estate

large in size, quantity or value

most important; essential

Translations to be checked

substantial (plural substantials)

  1. Anything having substance; an essential part.

  2. ^ “substanciāl, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

  3. ^ “substantial, adj., n., and adv.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

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