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Origin and history of substratum

substratum(n.)

"that which is laid or spread under," originally in theology and metaphysics, 1630s, from Modern Latin substratum (plural substrata), noun use of neuter singular past participle of Latin substernere "to spread underneath," from sub "under, below, beneath" (see sub-) + sternere "to spread out, lay down, stretch out" (from nasalized form of PIE root *stere- "to spread").

Of material situations, "anything that underlays" (1670s); in agriculture, "subsoil." In linguistics by 1922 in reference to elements of a mother tongue carried into a different language by people who adopt one in place of the other. Compare stratum.

also from 1630s

Entries linking to substratum

stratum(n.)

"horizontal layer," 1590s, from a Modern Latin special use of Latin stratum "thing spread out, coverlet, bedspread, horse-blanket; pavement," noun uses of neuter of stratus "prostrate, prone," past participle of sternere "to spread out, lay down, stretch out" (from nasalized form of PIE root *stere- "to spread").

substrate(n.)

1810, "a substratum, that which is laid or spread under" in any sense, from Modern Latin substratum, noun use of neuter singular past participle of Latin substernere "to spread underneath," from sub "under, below, beneath" (see sub-) + sternere "to spread out, lay down, stretch out" (from nasalized form of PIE root *stere- "to spread"). For linguistics use, see substratum.

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More to explore

swell
Middle Dutch swellen, Dutch zwellen, Old High German swellan, German schwellen), which is of unknown origin, perhaps a substratum...
campus
original sense of campus was "depression, curve" (see jamb), and concludes the source in PIE *kamp- "could well be a European substratum...
woad
weit, German Waid "woad"), which is perhaps cognate with Latin vitrium "glass" (see vitreous), but Boutkan considers it a substratum...
pool
Low German pol, Dutch poel, Old High German pfuol, German Pfuhl "pool, puddle"), which is of uncertain origin, perhaps a substratum...
dale
perhaps from PIE *dhel- "a hollow" (source also of Old Church Slavonic dolu "pit," Russian dolu "valley"), or perhaps a substratum...
quench
No certain cognates outside Germanic; perhaps a substratum word....
plight
Proto-Germanic *plehti-, which ultimately is perhaps from PIE root *dlegh- "to engage oneself, be or become fixed," or else a substratum...
surface
1610s, "the bounding or limiting parts of a body," from French surface "an outermost boundary, outside part" (16c.), from Old French sur- "above" (see sur-) + face (see face (n.)). The French words is patterned on Latin superficies "surface, upper side, top" (see superficial). Th
religion
c. 1200, religioun, "state of life bound by monastic vows," also "action or conduct indicating a belief in a divine power and reverence for and desire to please it," from Anglo-French religiun (11c.), Old French religion, relegion "piety, devotion; religious community," and direc
panic
"sudden mass terror," especially an exaggerated fright affecting a number of persons without visible cause or inspired by trifling cause or danger, 1708, from an earlier adjective (c. 1600, modifying fear, terror, etc.), from French panique (15c.), from Greek panikon, literally "

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