noun
substrate
SUB-strayt
Substrate (noun) means the surface or material that something is built on, grown on, or attached to. Example: “Orchids grow on a bark substrate rather than in ordinary soil.”
noun
1
The surface or material that something is built on, grown on, or attached to.
"Orchids grow on a bark substrate rather than in ordinary soil."
"The circuit is printed onto a thin ceramic substrate."
2
technical In biochemistry, the molecule that an enzyme acts on and converts into a product.
"Each enzyme binds only the substrate that fits its active site."
"Lactose is the substrate for lactase."
3
In ecology, the material at the bottom of a habitat in which organisms live or on which they feed.
"The river bed's gravel substrate supports a rich insect population."
How to use substrate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe stuff underneath that something sits on, grows on or is made from.
When to use it
Technical but widely used across biology, chemistry, electronics and gardening.
Easily confused with
substratum
subtrate (misspelling)
substrata
Common pairings
enzyme substrate
growing substrate
silicon substrate
substrate concentration
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Orchids grow on a bark _____ rather than in ordinary soil.
Etymology
From Latin substratum, the neuter past participle of substernere "to spread underneath", from sub- "under" and sternere "to spread".
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for substrate
See all rhymes for substrate →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a substrate and a substratum?
They come from the same Latin word and often mean the same thing. "Substrate" is the standard term in science and manufacturing; "substratum" is more common in geology, linguistics and general figurative use, as in an underlying layer of meaning.
What is a substrate in biology?
Two things, depending on context. In biochemistry it is the specific molecule an enzyme binds and changes. In ecology and microbiology it is the surface or nutrient material an organism lives on or feeds from, such as agar in a culture dish.
What is the difference between a substrate and a reactant?
Every substrate is a reactant, but the word substrate specifically names the reactant that an enzyme or catalyst acts on. Chemists say "reactant" generally and "substrate" when a catalyst is doing the work.
What is the meaning of substrate?
"substrate" (noun) means the surface or material that something is built on, grown on, or attached to.
