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Origin and history of substance

substance(n.)

c. 1300, substaunce, "divine part or essence" common to the persons of the Trinity;" mid-14c. in philosophy and theology, "that which exists by itself; essential nature; type or kind of thing; real or essential part;" from Old French sustance, substance "goods, possessions; nature, composition" (12c.), from Latin substantia "being, essence, material." This is from substans, present participle of substare "stand firm, stand or be under, be present," from sub "up to, under" (see sub-) + stare "to stand" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm").

Latin substantia translates Greek ousia "that which is one's own, one's substance or property; the being, essence, or nature of anything."

The figurative and general meaning "any kind of corporeal matter, stuff," is attested from mid-14c. As "material wealth, property, goods," late 14c.

The sense of "the matter of a study, discourse, etc.; content of a speech or literary work" is recorded late 14c. That of "meaning expressed by a speech or writing," as distinguished from style, form, performance, is by 1780.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to substance

consubstantial(adj.)

"having the same substance or essence," late 14c., a term in the theology of the Trinity, from Church Latin consubstantialis "of like essence, nature, or substance," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + substantia "being, essence, material" (see substance). In general use from 1570s. Related: Consubstantially; consubstantiality; consubstantialism.

consubstantiation(n.)

"doctrine that the body and blood of Christ coeist in and with the elements of the Eucharist," 1590s, from Church Latin consubstantionem (nominative consubstantio), noun of action from past participle stem of consubstantiare, from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + substantia "being, essence, material" (see substance). Opposed to the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. Related: Consubstantiate.

The term consubstantiation was employed in the doctrinal controversies of the Reformation by non-Lutheran writers, to designate the Lutheran view of the Saviour's presence in the Holy Supper. The Lutheran Church, however, has never used or accepted this term to express her view, but has always and repeatedly rejected it, and the meaning it conveys, in her official declarations. [Century Dictionary]
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style
early 14c., stile, "writing instrument, pen, stylus; piece of written discourse, a narrative, treatise;" also "characteristic rhetorical mode of an author, manner or mode of expression," and "way of life, manner, behavior, conduct." This is from Old French stile, estile "style, f
substantial
mid-14c., substancial, "ample, sizeable," from Old French substantiel (13c.) and directly from Latin substantialis "having substance or reality, material," in Late Latin "pertaining to the substance or essence," from substantia "being, essence, material" (see substance). The mea
substantive
late 14c., substantif, in grammatical use, "noun, part of speech that can be the subject or object of a verb," from Old French substantif and Latin substantivus, noun use of adjective, etymologically "self-existent, of substance or being" (see substantive (adj.)). The adjective w
perfume
1530s, "fumes from a burning substance," from French parfum (16c.), from parfumer "to scent," from Old Provençal perfumar...Meaning "substance containing agreeable essences of flowers, etc.," is attested from 1540s....
monad
In Leibnitz's philosophy, "an ultimate unit of being, a unit of the universal substance" (1748); he apparently adopted the...word from Giordano Bruno's 16c. metaphysics, where it referred to a hypothetical primary indivisible substance at once material...
mineral
late 14c., "substance obtained by mining," from Old French mineral and directly from Medieval Latin minerale "something mined...Meaning "material substance that is neither animal nor vegetable" is attested from early 15c....impregnated with minerals" is first in mineral water (early 15c.), which originally was "water found in nature with some mineral substance...
subsistence
early 15c., "existence, independence," from Late Latin subsistentia "substance, reality," in Medieval Latin also "stability...Latin subsistentia is a loan-translation of Greek hypostasis "foundation, substance, real nature, subject matter; that which...
direction
late 14c., direccioun, "action of directing or guiding," from Latin directionem (nominative directio) "a making straight, a straight line, a directing (toward something)," noun of action from past-participle stem of dirigere "to set straight, arrange; give a particular direction
opinion
early 14c., opinioun, "a judgment formed or a conclusion reached, especially one based on evidence that does not produce knowledge or certainty," from Old French opinion "opinion, view, judgements founded upon probabilities" (12c.), from Latin opinionem (nominative opinio) "opini
recent
early 15c., "recently made," of foods, etc., "fresh, newly made," from Latin recentem (nominative recens) "lately done or made, of recent origin, new, fresh, young," from re- (see re-) + PIE root *ken- "fresh, new, young" (source also of Greek kainos "new;" Sanskrit kanina- "youn

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