substitute

English Online Dictionary. What means substitute‎? What does substitute mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English substituten, from Latin substitutus, past participle of substituō, from sub- (“under; beneath”) + statuō (“to put up; establish”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsʌbstɪtjuːt/, /ˈsʌbstɪt͡ʃuːt/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈsʌbstɪtjut/, /ˈsʌbstɪtut/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈsɐbstɪtjʉːt/, /ˈsɐbstɪt͡ʃʉːt/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈsɐbstətjʉːt/, /ˈsɐbstət͡ʃʉːt/
• Hyphenation: sub‧sti‧tute
• Rhymes: -uːt

Verb

substitute (third-person singular simple present substitutes, present participle substituting, simple past and past participle substituted)

1. (transitive) To use in place of something else, with the same function.

2. (transitive, in the phrase "substitute X for Y") To use X in place of Y.

3. (transitive, formerly proscribed, in the phrase "substitute X with/by Y") To use Y in place of X; to replace X with Y.

4. (transitive, sports) To remove (a player) from the field of play and bring on another in his place.
5. (intransitive) To serve as a replacement (for someone or something).

Usage notes

The verb "to substitute" can be used transitively in two opposite ways. "To substitute X" may mean either "use X in place of something else" (as in definitions 1 and 2), or "use something else in place of X" (as in definitions 3 and 4). The latter use is more recent, but it is widespread and now generally accepted (see the COED's note on the matter). However, if the indirect object (the "something else") is omitted, the preposition is also omitted, and the reader or hearer cannot tell which sense is meant:

• "Substitute butter for olive oil" = Use butter instead of olive oil
• "Substitute butter with olive oil" = Use olive oil instead of butter
• "Substitute butter" = ???

Synonyms

• (to replace X with Y): exchange, swap; See also Thesaurus:switch

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

substitute (plural substitutes)

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

   Synonyms: substituend, surrogate; see also Thesaurus:substitute

   Antonyms: substituend, substituendum
2. A substitute teacher.
3. (sports) A player who is available to replace another if the need arises, and who may or may not actually do so.
4. (historical) One who enlists for military service in the place of a conscript.
5. (economics) Abbreviation of substitute good.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• bustitutes

Latin

Participle

substitūte

1. vocative masculine singular of substitūtus