substance

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
substance/ˈsʌbstəns/

▶noun

• 1 a particular kind of matter with uniform properties.

  ■ an intoxicating or narcotic drug.

• 2 the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists.

  ■ solid basis in reality or fact: the claim has no substance.

  ■ dependability or stability.

• 3 the quality of being important, valid, or significant.

  ■ the most important or essential part or meaning.

  ■ the subject matter of a text or work of art, especially as contrasted with its form or style.

  ■ wealth and possessions: a woman of substance.

• 4 Philosophy the essential nature underlying phenomena, which is subject to changes and accidents.

– phrases
in substance essentially.

– origin ME: from OFr., from L. substantia ‘being, essence’, from substant-, substare ‘stand firm’.