adj
Meaning 1
Lacking substance; not real or strong.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The bridge was insubstantial and would not safely carry a car.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
insubstantial
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET: IH2 N S AH0 B S T AE1 N SH AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adjective
Meaning 2
lacking material form or substance; unreal
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- as insubstantial as a dream
- an insubstantial mirage on the horizon
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: unsubstantial, unreal
Antonyms: substantial
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
lacking in nutritive value
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the jejune diets of the very poor
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: jejune
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Probably from Middle French insubstantiel, from Latin insubstantiālis, from in- + substantiālis. By surface analysis, in- + substantial.
Across languages
Translations
15 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: нематериален (nematerialen) — Translations
- Bulgarian: нереален (nerealen) — Translations
- Catalan: insubstancial — Translations
- French: insubstantiel — Translations
- Galician: insubstancial — Translations
- Italian: immateriale — Translations
- Italian: inconsistente — Translations
- Japanese: 実のない (minonai) — Translations
- Māori: korekiko — Translations
- Māori: kikokore — Translations
- Portuguese: insubstancial — Translations
- Romanian: nesubstanțial — Translations
- Spanish: hueco — Translations
- Spanish: insustancial — Translations
- Spanish: vacío — Translations
Real reading context