the nonliving material on which an animal or plant grows or lives
4. geology
a.
the solid rock underlying soils, gravels, etc; bedrock
b.
the surface to which a fixed organism is attached
5. sociology
any of several subdivisions or grades within a stratum
6. photography
a binding layer by which an emulsion is made to adhere to a glass or film base
Sometimes shortened to: sub
7. philosophy
substance considered as that in which attributes and accidents inhere
8. linguistics
the language of an indigenous population when replaced by the language of a conquering or colonizing population, esp as it influences the form of the dominant language or of any mixed languages arising from their contact
Compare superstratum (sense 2)
Derived forms
substrative (subˈstrative) or substratal (subˈstratal)
adjective
Word origin
C17: from New Latin, from Latin substrātus strewn beneath, from substernere to spread under, from sub- + sternere to spread
Examples of 'substrata' in a sentence
substrata
`Total of 221 boreholes drilled along the Chunnel's intended route between 1953 and 1990 to sample the substrata.
Terman, Douglas CORMORANT
In the substrata, where the moon shone steady and opaque, it was smooth and fecundating.