substrate

American  

[suhb-streyt] / ˈsʌb streɪt /

noun

1. a substratum.

2. Biochemistry. the substance acted upon by an enzyme.

3. Electronics. a supporting material on which a circuit is formed or fabricated.

---

substrate British  

/ ˈsʌbstreɪt /

noun

1. biochem the substance upon which an enzyme acts

2. another word for substratum

3. electronics the semiconductor base on which other material is deposited, esp in the construction of integrated circuits

---

substrate Scientific  

/ sŭb′strāt′ /

1. The material or substance on which an enzyme acts.

2. See more at enzyme

3. The surface on or in which plants, algae, or certain animals, such as barnacles or clams, live or grow. A substrate may serve as a source of food for an organism or simply provide support.

---

Etymology

Origin of substrate

First recorded in 1570–80; variant of substratum

Explanation

A substrate is the base layer of something, or a layer that's underneath another layer. It can also be a surface on which an organism grows or is attached. Substrate also has a linguistic meaning: It's an indigenous language that contributes words or parts of speech to the language of an invading people who have imposed their language on the indigenous people. Throughout the United States, for instance, there are towns with Native American names, because Native American languages form a substrate to American English.

Example Sentences

Of the recently developed Pecorino-like cheese, the lab used a Neurospora mould, but would not say what waste was used as a substrate.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

These membranes are then transferred onto a receiving substrate that already contains completed circuitry using a roll laminator.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2026

It is the cluster: foundries, packaging houses, substrate suppliers, materials firms, equipment engineers, testing specialists, design-service providers and process experts operating in close proximity.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

The analysts also discussed makers of Ajinomoto Build-up Film, or ABF substrate, which helps improve transmission in packaging.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

Nor can we admit that your pure consciousness could constitute what we call the consciousness of the Self; for we shall prove that the latter has a substrate.

From The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Ramanuja — Sacred Books of the East, Volume 48 by Thibaut, George