substitute

[ suhb-sti-toot, -tyoot ]

/ ˈsʌb stɪˌtut, -ˌtyut /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR substitute ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person or thing acting or serving in place of another.

(formerly) a person who, for payment, served in an army or navy in the place of a conscript.

Grammar. a word that functions as a replacement for any member of a class of words or constructions, as do in He doesn't know but I do.

verb (used with object), sub·sti·tut·ed, sub·sti·tut·ing.

to put (a person or thing) in the place of another.

to take the place of; replace.

Chemistry. to replace (one or more elements or groups in a compound) by other elements or groups.

verb (used without object), sub·sti·tut·ed, sub·sti·tut·ing.

to act as a substitute.

adjective

of or relating to a substitute or substitutes.

composed of substitutes.

Words nearby substitute

substantive right, substantivize, substation, substernal goiter, substituent, substitute, substitution, substitution cipher, substitution product, substitution reaction, substitution therapy

Origin of substitute

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin substitūtus (past participle of substituere to put in place of), equivalent to sub- sub- + -stitū-, combining form of statū-, past participle stem of statuere (see substituent) + -tus past participle suffix

SYNONYMS FOR substitute

1 alternative, replacement, equivalent.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR substitute ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM substitute

sub·sti·tut·a·ble, adjectivesub·sti·tut·a·bil·i·ty, nounsub·sti·tut·er, nounsub·sti·tut·ing·ly, adverb

sub·sti·tu·tion, nounsub·sti·tu·tion·al, sub·sti·tu·tion·ar·y

[suhb-sti-too-shuh-ner-ee, -tyoo-] /ˌsʌb stɪˈtu ʃəˌnɛr i, -ˈtyu-/, adjectivesub·sti·tu·tion·al·ly, adverbin·ter·sub·sti·tut·a·bil·i·ty, nounin·ter·sub·sti·tut·a·ble, adjectivein·ter·sub·sti·tu·tion, nounnon·sub·sti·tut·ed, adjectivenon·sub·sti·tu·tion, nounnon·sub·sti·tu·tion·al, adjectivenon·sub·sti·tu·tion·al·ly, adverbnon·sub·sti·tu·tion·ar·y, adjectivepre·sub·sti·tute, verb (used with object), pre·sub·sti·tut·ed, pre·sub·sti·tut·ing.pre·sub·sti·tu·tion, nounpro·sub·sti·tu·tion, adjectiveun·sub·sti·tut·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for substitutional

The elements, in substitutional symmetry, are then simply means of introducing variety and action.
Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1|Various
Of great importance is the substitutional adequacy of images.
Criminal Psychology|Hans Gross
The hypothesis of substitutional symmetry is thus completely confirmed.
Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1|Various

British Dictionary definitions for substitutional

substitute

/ (ˈsʌbstɪˌtjuːt) /

verb

(often foll by for) to serve or cause to serve in place of another person or thing

chem to replace (an atom or group in a molecule) with (another atom or group)

logic maths to replace (one expression) by (another) in the context of a third, as replacing x + y for x in 3 x = k gives 3 x + 3 y = k

noun

a person or thing that serves in place of another, such as a player in a game who takes the place of an injured colleague
(as modifier)a substitute goalkeeper Often shortened to: sub

grammar another name for pro-form

Canadian another name for supply teacher

nautical another word for repeater (def. 5)

(formerly) a person paid to replace another due for military service

Derived forms of substitute

substitutable, adjectivesubstitutability, noun

Word Origin for substitute

C16: from Latin substituere, from sub- in place of + statuere to set up

usage for substitute

Substitute is sometimes wrongly used where replace is meant: he replaced (not substituted) the worn tyre with a new one

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

substitute

noun

verb (used with object), sub·sti·tut·ed, sub·sti·tut·ing.

verb (used without object), sub·sti·tut·ed, sub·sti·tut·ing.

adjective

Words related to substitute

Words nearby substitute

Origin of substitute

SYNONYMS FOR substitute

OTHER WORDS FROM substitute

Examples from the Web for substitutional

British Dictionary definitions for substitutional

verb

noun

Derived forms of substitute

Word Origin for substitute

usage for substitute