substrate

noun

sub·​strate ˈsəb-ˌstrāt 

1

: substratum

2

: the base on which an organism lives

the soil is the substrate of most seed plants

3

: a substance acted upon (as by an enzyme)

Did you know?

With its Latin prefix sub-, "below", substrate obviously refers to a layer under something else. Rock may serve as the substrate for the coral in a coral reef. Tiny wafers of silicon (or another semiconductor) serve as the substrate for computer chips. Substrate may also mean subsoil—that is, the layer under the topsoil, lacking in organic matter or humus. Substrate is part of the vocabulary of various other sciences, including chemistry and biology. But although it's mostly a scientific term, writers may also use it to mean simply "foundation"—for instance, when observing that reading is the substrate on which most other learning is based.

Examples of substrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Toto makes ceramic electrostatic chucks used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, while Nittobo supplies advanced glass fiber used in semiconductor package substrates. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 22 July 2026

As a carbohydrate, rice is an excellent food (substrate) for bacterial growth. — Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 17 July 2026

Quandt claims that both foldables will have a less visible crease thanks to a new titanium substrate material teased by the company. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026

The center dome is manufactured using a chemical vapor deposition process, where diamond is grown as a crystalline layer before the substrate is removed, leaving a self-supporting diamond dome. — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin substratum

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for substrate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

substrate

noun

sub·​strate ˈsəb-ˌstrāt 

1

: an underlying layer: as

a

: substratum sense a

b

: the base on which an organism lives or over which it moves

the soil is the substrate of most plants

2

: a substance acted upon (as by an enzyme)

Medical Definition

substrate

noun

sub·​strate ˈsəb-ˌstrāt 

1

: substratum sense 1

2

: the base on which an organism lives

3

: a substance acted upon (as by an enzyme)