something that is spread or laid under something else; astratum or layer lying under another.
something that underlies or serves as a basis or foundation.
Agriculture. the subsoil.
Biology. the base or material on which a nonmotile organism lives or grows.
Philosophy. substance, considered as that which supports accidents or attributes.
Photography. a layer of material placed directly on a film or plate as a foundation for the sensitive emulsion.
Historical Linguistics. a set of features of a language traceable to the influence of an earlier language that it has replaced, especially among a subjugated population: The French word for 80, quatre-vingts (“four twenties”), may reflect a Celtic substratum.
Compare superstratum.
Origin of substratum
From New Latin, dating back to 1625–35; see origin at sub-, stratum
The substratum of the community remains, however, such as I have shown it.
South America To-day|Georges Clemenceau
It goes by the name of jaung, and is a light soil, with a substratum of sand from six to twelve inches below the surface.
The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom|P. L. Simmonds
Instead of blowing plates of solid red, the old glass-makers used to flash a thin layer of red over a substratum of plain glass.
A History of Inventions, Discoveries, and Origins, Volume I (of 2)|Johann Beckman
Opposite as the two men were in every trait, a substratum of affinity came out in this deadlock of their glances.
The Incendiary|W. A. (William Augustine) Leahy
Unfortunately, however, we shall find that this case is actually made the substratum of the law.
The History Of The Last Trial By Jury For Atheism In England|George Jacob Holyoake
British Dictionary definitions for substratum
substratum
/ (sʌbˈstrɑːtəm, -ˈstreɪ-) /
nounplural-strata (-ˈstrɑːtə, -ˈstreɪtə)
any layer or stratum lying underneath another
a basis or foundation; groundwork
the nonliving material on which an animal or plant grows or lives
geology
the solid rock underlying soils, gravels, etc; bedrock
the surface to which a fixed organism is attached
sociolany of several subdivisions or grades within a stratum
photoga binding layer by which an emulsion is made to adhere to a glass or film baseSometimes shortened to: sub
philosophysubstance considered as that in which attributes and accidents inhere
linguisticsthe 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 contactCompare superstratum (def. 2)
Derived forms of substratum
substrativeorsubstratal, adjective
Word Origin for substratum
C17: from New Latin, from Latin substrātus strewn beneath, from substernere to spread under, from sub- + sternere to spread