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

Had the initial choice for substrate prevailed, the patch of cherry orchards around Palo Alto would be called Germanium Valley. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

The researchers designed the polyimine substrate to break down when immersed in a heated chemical solution containing specific amine compounds. — New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2026

Future electronic devices Elliot Kisiel, PhD, a Maria Goeppert Mayer fellow at ANL, as well as lead author of the study, stated that the team initially suspected the unexpected response in the sapphire substrate was an experimental artifact. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

The silicon SoC and the unified memory are both packaged directly onto the processor substrate, and even the internal SSD modules are locked from user replacement or end-user servicing without specialized diagnostic tools. — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 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)