Substantial
/səbˈstæn.ʃəl/noun
Large in amount, importance, or solidity; having real substance or value.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor, *substantia*, came from the same root as “stand,” so the word originally pointed to what truly “stands beneath” appearances — a perfect fit for occult ideas of hidden essence.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steh₂-
“to stand, be firm”
Latin
Latin
substantia
“substance, essence, being”
Late Latin
Latin
substantialis
“pertaining to substance; real, essential”
Old French
Old French
substantial
“of substance; solid, real, considerable”
Middle English
English
substantial
“having substance; solid, real, of consequence”
Modern English
English
substantial
“considerable in amount or importance; solid and real”