Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

substitute

/ˈsɐbstɪtjʉːt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.17 in modern English

Syllables
sub-sti-tute
IPA
/ˈsɐbstɪtjʉːt/
12
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To use in place of something else, with the same function.

Transitive verb

verb

To use X in place of Y.

Transitive verb

verb

To use Y in place of X; to replace X with Y.

Transitive verb

verb

To remove (a player) from the field of play and bring on another in his place.

Transitive verb

verb

To serve as a replacement (for someone or something).

Intransitive verb

noun

A replacement or stand-in for something that achieves a similar result or purpose.

noun

A substitute teacher.

noun

A player who is available to replace another if the need arises, and who may or may not actually do so.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English substituten, from Latin substitutus, past participle of substituō, from sub- (“under; beneath”) + statuō (“to put up; establish”). Displaced native Old English spala (“a substitute”) and spelian (“to substitute”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: substituten, substitutus

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈsɐbstɪtjʉːt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

substitutes (present, singular) substituting (participle, present) substituted (participle, past) substituted (past) substitutes (plural)

Derived Forms

bisubstituted bustitute chlorosubstituted cryosubstituted disubstituted heterosubstituted homosubstituted intersubstitute monosubstituted multisubstituted nonsubstituted pentasubstituted

Phrases

milk substitute salt substitute service as a software substitute sheriff-substitute substitute teacher sugar substitute turpentine substitute

Frequently Paired Words

alternative changeling standby counterpart decoy

Synonyms

substituend surrogate reserve exchange swap fill-in ghost proxy replacement stand-in substitute

Antonyms

substituend substituendum

Rhymes With

minute shoot suit route cute fruit root dispute boot suite pursuit principal square root

Questions

How do you pronounce substitute?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsɐbstɪtjʉːt/.
What does substitute mean?
To use in place of something else, with the same function.
Where does substitute come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce substitute

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “substitute”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈsɐbstɪtjʉːt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “substitute”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “substitute” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.