substantive

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With his our he pats the author on the back PERIODICAL is an adjective, and its use as a substantive is an unwarrantable gain of brevity at the expense of grammar PROPOSE.

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Definitions (28)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (8)

  1. adjective Substantial; considerable.
  2. adjective Independent in existence or function; not subordinate.
  3. adjective Not imaginary; actual; real.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (13)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (4)

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Examples (50)

  • Sure, it squeezes in an attempt at a substantive issue -- "he doesn't understand the economy" -- but the gist of the whole ad is that McCain is old and old things aren't cool. —  Degree of Madness
  • I've yet to see her offer a single reason based on a substantive issue why voters should choose her over U.S. Rep. Andre Carson. —  Advance Indiana
  • In this case, the court grants the 230 dismissal for StubHub and eBay in a brief non-substantive order -- the opposite result. —  Technology & Marketing Law Blog
  • Readers looking for sharp, substantive, and yes, quick takes on the films now playing in local theaters, at festivals or just out on DVD are doing what sports fans, bookworms, political junkies, day traders, what have you, are doing: reaching for the mouse rather than trekking to the newsstand. —  GreenCine Daily
  • Sarkisian overruled Rinkenberger's objection, on the grounds that Lucas 'arguments on the substantive issues involving the hospital rezoning could influence the issue of whether the LLA has standing. —  The Indiana Law Blog
 

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

nominative ·  meaningful ·  neuter ·  crucial ·  definite ·  constructive ·  tangible ·  constitutional ·  plural ·  vital ·  above ·  participle
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English substantif, self-sufficient, independent, from Old French, substantive, from Late Latin substantīvus, from Latin substantia, substance; see substance.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. I. a. = French substantif = Spanish Portuguese substantivo = Italian sustantivo, from Late Latin substantivus, self-existent, substantive (substantivum verbum, the substantive verb), Middle Latin also having substance, substantial, from Latin substantia, substance, reality: see substance. II. n. = French substantif = Spanish Portuguese substantivo = Italian sustantivo = Dutch substantief = G. Swedish Danish substantiv, from New Latin substantivum, sc. nomen, a substantive name, a noun substantive (a noun), i. e. the name of a thing, as distinguished from Latin adjectivum, sc. nomen, an adjective name, a noun adjective (an adjective), the name of an attribute.
  2. from substantive, n.
 

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/ˈsəbstəntɪv/
by American Heritage

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