substantive. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

substantive

SYLLABICATION:	sub·stan·tive
PRONUNCIATION:	sbstn-tv
ADJECTIVE:	1. Substantial; considerable. 2. Independent in existence or function; not subordinate. 3. Not imaginary; actual; real. 4. Of or relating to the essence or substance; essential: substantive information. 5. Having a solid basis; firm. 6. Grammar Expressing or designating existence; for example, the verb to be. 7. Grammar Designating a noun or noun equivalent.
NOUN:	Grammar A word or group of words functioning as a noun.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English substantif, self-sufficient, independent, from Old French, substantive, from Late Latin substantvus, from Latin substantia, substance. See substance.
OTHER FORMS:	substan·tive·ly —ADVERB substan·tive·ness —NOUN


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.