Middle English Dictionary Entry
substantī̆f n.
Entry Info
| Forms | substantī̆f n. Also substantife, -ive & sustantif, -ive, sustentif; pl. substantifis, etc. & sustentivus. |
| Etymology | L substantīvus & OF sustantif, substantif, AF sustentif. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Gram. A word that refers to a person or thing, a noun or an adjective used substantively.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)9b/b : Of nounes adiectiue..somme beþ I-clepid numeralia, as vnus, duo, tres, and alle þese in þe neutir gendir beþ as it were substantiues and tokeneþ þe essenciam.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.345 : Knowen ich wolde Wat is relacion rect and indyrect after, And þanne adiectyf and substantif [vrr. þe sustantijf, sustentif], for englisch was it neuere.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.363 : Thus is relacion rect, ryht as adiectif and substantif [vr. rewle of sustentyuus] A-cordeþ in alle kyndes whit is antecedent.
- c1400 Dur-C.Treat.Syntax (Dur-C B.4.19)191/40,43 : Whilk is a adiectiuf and whilk is a sustantif?..Þat is a sustantiue þat declynes wt a artikyl or wt twa wtwtyn any ma.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)81a : Kynde, adiectyf: 'Be ȝe kynde'..Kynde, substantyf..'We ben þe kynde of god.'
- c1450 Add.19046 Treat.Syntax (Add 19046)194/80 : What case, gendre, and numbre ys þe adiectiue 'bonus'? Þe nominatyfe case, þe masculyn gendre and þe syngler numbre, for so ys þe substantyfe 'vir'.
- c1450 Add.19046 Treat.Syntax (Add 19046)195/89 : ij substantyfys syngler or mo wt a coniuncion copulatyfe betwene well haue a adiectife plurell.
- c1450 Trin-C.Treat.Syntax (Trin-C O.5.4)178/28 : How many acordys hast thou in grammer? Foure..the secunde bytwene the adiectyf and the substantyf.
- c1450 Trin-C.Treat.Syntax (Trin-C O.5.4)180/113 : Thylke thynge that bytokeneth that is to knowe by the genityf case as by wey of kynde be on wyth that thyng that is bytokenyd by the substantyf of the superlatyf degre, as 'I wysyst of thys folk am fayrest of gees.'
- a1475 Peniarth Informacio(1) (Pen 356B)95/130 : ij substantyuis syngler wyth an 'et' coniunccion betwene wyll haue an adiectiue plurell.
- a1500 Hatton Informacio (Hat 58)111/40 : When I haue a nown relatyff folowynge ij antecedentis of diuerse gender hauyng both reward to oone thynge, þe relatyff schall acorde wt þe latter..for to my nyxte substantyue schall myne adiectiue be bere.