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in·sub·stan·tial

(ĭn′səb-stănshəl)

adj.

1. Not firm or solid; weak or flimsy: a shed made of insubstantial materials.

2. Very small or negligible, as in importance, size, or amount: an insubstantial volume of traffic.

3. Lacking or appearing to lack substance or reality: "the insubstantial vapor of an autumn field" (Loren Eiseley).

in′sub·stan′ti·ali·ty (-shē-ălĭ-tē) n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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