Definition of
Substantial
Substantial is a term that comes from late Latin substantialis and that alludes to that linked to the substance. This concept, in turn, has several meanings: it can be the most transcendent or essential, or the value of something.
- Basically
- important factor
- Meaty
- Related Topics Tree
Basically
The substantial, therefore, can be about the major or what fundamental. For example: “We have several differences in the forms, but the governor and I agree on the substance”, “If you want to pass the exam, you need to understand the substance of the text to answer the questions correctly”, “It seems to me that the substance of the new law is the increase in penalties for those who do not comply with the established deadlines”.
In this first meaning we must understand that there is nothing more important than the substantial, which is the key, the element crucial. Let’s look at the three examples in detail to better understand their meaning. In the first, the issuer affirms that the governor and he do not agree on everything, but they do agree on fundamentals. A relationship with these characteristics is better than one in which the opposite situation occurs: two people in favor of the freedom but with different literary tastes they make a much better match than the opposite.
The second sentence talks about the need to understand the part fundamental of a text to successfully pass an exam. This is true as long as the questions aim at a reflection on the subject and not at the mere memorization of the content. Lastly, the issuer gives his opinion about a recently approved law, pointing out what he believes is the substantial point, the most relevant, so that the others do not cause such an impactful change.
It can help you: Reflection
important factor
Another use of substantial refers to a stuff or a important, intense or valuable factor: “The government announced a substantial drop in collection due to the economic crisis affecting the nation”, “In my opinion the team needs a substantial change, the coach cannot continue with the same recipe that already gave him bad results”, “I had to put in a substantial effort to get to the top of the mountain and plant the flag”.
In this case, unlike the previous examples, the shade of meaning does not point to “the most important thing” but to something that can generate a change considerable for better or worse, depending on the situation. An economic crisis generates various consequences, and one of them may be that citizens stop paying taxes. The poor performance of a sports team, on the other hand, can be due in large part to the work of the coach. Climbing a mountain, needless to say, requires considerable effort.
See also: Worst
Meaty
A substantial or hearty foodon the other hand, stands out for its worth nutritious either caloric: “We have to give grandpa substantial dishes so that he has strength and recovers faster”, “Breakfast should always be substantial since it guarantees us the necessary energy to start daily activities”, “Corn is a substantial food that has nourished our people since ancient times”.
Note that we can find similarities between this meaning and the previous ones, since the nutritional quality of the food is one of the factors most important in the development of life. In the first example, the sender talks about his grandfather’s health: both in early childhood and in old age, food must be especially nutritious. The second highlights the importance of a substantial breakfast to have energy in the first part of the day. Finally, corn is mentioned as a food substantial typical of the town of the issuer.
Continue on: Early childhood