substantive

Etymology

From Middle English substantif, from Old French substantif.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsʌbstəntɪv/, /səbˈstæntɪv/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

substantive (comparative more substantive, superlative most substantive)

1. Of the essence or essential element of a thing.

   Synonyms: essential, in essence

   substantive information

   • 2012 October 6, “The first presidential debate: Back in the centre, back in the game”, in The Economist‎:

     In one sense the first debate achieved the worst of all worlds: it managed to be technical, even dull, without being substantive or especially honest.

   1. (by extension) Constituting the substance of content rather than its style, and thus always nontrivial.

      Substantive editing is never trivial, whereas some aspects of copyediting are trivial.

      substantive changes made by the lawyers

3. Having substance; enduring; solid; firm; substantial.
   • 1836 [1829], William Hazlitt, “Definition of wit”, in Literary Remains of the Late William Hazlitt‎, page 19:

     Once more then, strength and magnitude are qualities which impress the imagination in a powerful and substantive manner;

   Synonyms: meaty, substantial

   Antonyms: superficial, trivial

5. (law) Applying to essential legal principles and rules of right.

   substantive law

   Antonyms: adjective, procedural

6. (chemistry, of a dye) Not needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.

   Antonym: adjective

7. Depending on itself; independent.
   • 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, page 16:

     Hee therefore taking into Conſideration, how ſufficient and ſuſstantiue this Land was, to maintaine it ſelfe without any aid (at all) of the foreigner; […]

8. (grammar) Of or pertaining to a substantive.

   Synonym: substantival

9. (military, of a rank or appointment) Actually and legally held, as distinct from an acting, temporary or honorary rank or appointment

Noun

substantive (plural substantives)

2. (grammar) Ellipsis of noun substantive or substantive noun; a noun or a group of words (a noun phrase) that act as a noun (in a sentence). [from 16th c.]

   Synonyms: (sensu stricto) noun, noun substantive

   Hypernym: (sensu lato) noun

   • 1986, Harry Holtzman, Martin S[amuel] James, “The New Plastic in Painting (1917)”, in The New Art—The New Life: The Collected Writings of Piet Mondrian, Boston, Mass.: G. K. Hall & Co., →ISBN, part I (The De Stijl Years: 1917–24), page 27:

     The Dutch verb beelden and substantive beelding signify form-giving, creation, and by extension image—as do gestalten and Gestaltung in German, where Neo-Plastic[ism] is translated as Die neue Gestaltung.

3. Part of a text that carries the meaning, such as words and their ordering.

   Coordinate term: accidental

Verb

substantive (third-person singular simple present substantives, present participle substantiving, simple past and past participle substantived)

2. (grammar, very rare) To make a word belonging to another part of speech into a substantive (that is, a noun) or use it as a noun.

   Synonyms: substantivize, nominalize

Usage notes

• The pronunciation with penultimate stress is common, based on that of substantial, but mainly proscribed.

See also

(converting into or using as another part of speech:)

• adjectivize/adjectivise, adjective, adjectify
• adverbialize/adverbialise, (rare) adverb, (rare) adverbify, adverbize
• nominalize/nominalise, substantivize/substantivise, noun, (rare) nounify, (very rare) substantive
• verbalize/verbalise, (colloquial) verb, verbify

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /syp.stɑ̃.tiv/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: substantives

Adjective

substantive

1. feminine singular of substantif

Verb

substantive

1. inflection of substantivar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /sub.stanˈtiː.u̯e/, [s̠ʊps̠t̪än̪ˈt̪iːu̯ɛ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /sub.stanˈti.ve/, [subst̪än̪ˈt̪iːve]

Adjective

substantīve

1. vocative masculine singular of substantīvus

Verb

substantive

1. inflection of substantivar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sub.stanˈti.ve]

Noun

substantive

1. plural of substantiv

Verb

substantive

1. inflection of substantivar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative