substrates
|sub-strates|
/ˈsʌb.streɪts/
(substrate)
underlying layer
Etymology
'substrate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'substratum', where 'sub-' meant 'under' and 'stratum' meant 'a spread layer or bed'.
'substrate' passed into French as 'substrat' and then into English as 'substrate' in the 19th century, evolving from Latin 'substratum'.
Initially it referred to 'something spread or placed beneath' and over time evolved into the modern sense of 'an underlying layer or material' and related technical senses in biology, chemistry, and engineering.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
materials or layers lying beneath a surface; an underlying layer or foundation.
The painters tested different substrates before applying the primer.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a surface or medium on which organisms grow (e.g., culture media) or on which a biological process occurs; in biology, the substance acted on by an enzyme.
The Petri dishes contained various substrates to encourage bacterial growth.
Synonyms
Noun 3
a chemical substance upon which a reagent or catalyst acts; a reactant in a specific reaction context.
In this reaction, several substrates compete for the active site of the catalyst.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/02 18:20