Webster's English Dictionary

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substance

sub.stance \'s*b-st*n(t)s\ n [ME, fr. OF, fr. L substantia, fr. substant-, 
   substans, prp.]of substare to stand under. fr. sub- + stare to stand - more 
   at STAND 1a: essential nature : ESSENCE  1b: a fundamental or 
   characteristic part or quality  Christian Science  1c: SPIRIT  2a: ultimate 
   reality that underlies all outward manifestations and change  2b: the real 
   subject of predication  2c: FORM  2d: an individual compounded of matter 
   and form  3a: physical material from which something is made or which has 
   discrete ex istence 3b: matter of particular or definite chemical 
   constitution  4: material possessions : PROPERTY