English → Latin
“substance” in Latin
hicthis one; this (thing); these ones (in the plural); these (things); he, she, itnātūrathe nature, quality, substance or essence of a thing; character, temperament, inclination, disposition; nature, the natucorpusbody, person (person when used to mean "human body", e.g., "on one's person"); substance, material (physical, perceptiblfacultāsability to do any thing easily, skill, capacity, power; means, resources; opportunity, chancemedullabone marrow; as the subjective location of the intense inner physical sensation of a heightened emotion, such as erotic flōsflower, blossom; the best kind or part of something; the prime; best state of thingssummatop, summit, highest point or place; the principal or main thing; sum, summary, totalvereorto have respect for, revere, stand in awe; to be afraid, fear; dread
The English word substance itself goes back to Latin sub, through substantia.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
substance
That which is or has being, res: res creata (☞ avoid “ens” and “essentia”): A living substance, animans (man); animal: an intellectual substance, mens; natura intelligens, mente or ratione praedita.
An essential part, natura (element): corpus (body): natura atque vis: vis et natura: ☞ substantia is found in Quint., Sen., and later writers; often by esse or esse in rerum natura.
Means of life, facultates: res: omnia ad vitam necessaria (Cic.).
The chief part of a thing, medulla: flos: vires atque nervi: summa: caput rei.
Reality, as opposed to appearance, veritas, or by ipse (e.g., to have the appearance of virtue, but not the substance, speciem virtutis prae se ferre, non virtute ipsa praeditum esse. To have some substance, stabilitatis aliquid habere (Cic., of a philosophical opinion).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for substance?
- The usual Latin words for “substance” are hic, nātūra, corpus; also facultās, medulla, flōs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.