substratum
/səbˈstrɑ.təm/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.23 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A layer that lies underneath another.
noun
The underlying cause or basis of something.
noun
A substrate.
Example Sentences
- "..; in this case it became necessary to employ a machine like the lapidary's wheel, partially to grind away the colored surface till the white substratum appeared."
- "However exaggerated an estimate this might be, the substratum of truth was solid and auriferous enough to dazzle the imagination."
Etymology
Learned borrowing from New Latin substrātum, nominalisation of the neuter of Latin substrātus, perfect passive participle of substernō. By surface analysis, sub- + stratum.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *sterh₃-, substrātus