ˈsʌbstɪtju:t n. & v. --n. 1 a (also attrib.) a
person or
thing acting or
serving in
place of
another. b an
artificial alternative to a
natural substance (butter substitute). 2
Sc.
Law a
deputy. --v. 1 intr. & tr. (often foll. by for)
act or
cause to act as a substitute; put or
serve in
exchange (substituted
for her mother; substituted it for
the broken one). 2 tr. (usu. foll. by
by, with) colloq.
replace (a person or thing)
with another. 3 tr. Chem. replace (an
atom or
group in a molecule) with another. øøsubstitutable adj. substitutability n. substitution n. substitutional adj. substitutionary adj. substitutive adj. [ME f. L substitutus
past part. of substituere (as
SUB-, statuere set up)]