substantive
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsʌbstəntɪv/
ipa: /səbˈstæntɪv/
Forms: form: more substantive
form: most substantive
Etymology: From Middle English substantif, from Old French substantif.
Senses: examples: text: substantive information
text: 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.
ref: 2012 October 6, “The first presidential debate: Back in the centre, back in the game”, in The Economist, archived from the original on 08 Mar 2023:
synonyms: essential
in essence
glosses: Of the essence or essential element of a thing.
examples: text: Substantive editing is never trivial, whereas some aspects of copyediting are trivial.
text: substantive changes made by the lawyers
synonyms: essential
in essence
glosses: Of the essence or essential element of a thing.
Constituting the substance of content rather than its style, and thus always nontrivial.
examples: text: Once more then, strength and magnitude are qualities which impress the imagination in a powerful and substantive manner;
ref: 1836 [1829], William Hazlitt, “Definition of wit”, in Literary Remains of the Late William Hazlitt, page 19:
synonyms: meaty
substantial
antonyms: superficial
trivial
glosses: Having substance; enduring; solid; firm; substantial.
examples: text: substantive law
text: So this test, this whole area of substantive due process, is tricky for some of the reasons you say. That’s been a criticism of the doctrine in general and a criticism of the general notion that we can have rights that the Constitution doesn’t specify, precisely because of the kind of inquiry that it invites judges to undertake.
ref: 2025 October 16, Ross Douthat, quoting Amy Coney Barrett, “Amy Coney Barrett Is Looking Beyond the Trump Era”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 Oct 2025:
topics: law
antonyms: adjective
procedural
glosses: Applying to essential legal principles and rules of right.
topics: chemistry
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
antonyms: adjective
glosses: Not needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.
raw_tags: of a dye
examples: text: Hee therefore taking into Conſideration, how ſufficient and ſuſstantiue this Land was, to maintaine it ſelfe without any aid (at all) of the foreigner; […]
ref: 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:
glosses: Depending on itself; independent.
topics: grammar
human-sciences
linguistics
sciences
synonyms: substantival
glosses: Of or pertaining to a substantive.
topics: government
military
politics
war
glosses: Actually and legally held, as distinct from an acting, temporary or honorary rank or appointment.
raw_tags: of a rank or appointment
Derived terms: word: common substantive noun
word: substantive proper
word: substantive adjective
word: substantive case
word: substantive due process
word: substantive genitive
word: substantive law
word: substantively
word: substantive verb
word: substantivise
word: substantivize