substratum

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a surface on which an organism grows or is attached
  2. noun any stratum or layer lying underneath another
  3. noun an indigenous language that contributes features to the language of an invading people who impose their language on the indigenous population

Etymology

Learned borrowing from New Latin substrātum, nominalisation of the neuter of Latin substrātus, perfect passive participle of substernō. By surface analysis, sub- + stratum.

In classic literature

Synonyms

substrate

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