substance
noun
Substance — the real matter that gives a thing its being
Definition
The real physical matter of which a person or thing consists; "DNA is the substance of our genes"
In depth
Substance is the underlying physical matter of which a person or thing is composed, the stuff beneath appearance, name, or category. In philosophy the word carries even heavier weight, naming whatever can be said to exist independently and in its own right, as opposed to mere properties or accidents attached to it.
Origin
The word descends from Latin substantia, that which stands beneath, formed from sub- (under) and stare (to stand) — a literal translation of the Greek hypostasis, used by ancient philosophers to name whatever underlies and supports the changing qualities of a thing. That image of standing-beneath still structures the word's modern figurative use, in which a substantial argument is, etymologically, one that has firm ground to stand on.
Usage examples
"The chemist isolated the substance responsible for the compound's unusual color."
"He spoke beautifully, she thought, but his arguments lacked substance."
"DNA, the biologist liked to remind her students, is quite literally the substance from which a body's instructions are written."
How to use it
Substance moves easily between scientific precision and figurative use, where it often signals depth, seriousness, or solidity, as in an argument or a person 'lacking substance.' Both senses share the same underlying metaphor of weighty, foundational stuff beneath the surface.
Related concepts
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