substantiel

Substantiel is a French adjective used to describe something that is substantial, significant, or essential. It can refer to a large quantity or magnitude, to the core nature of a thing, or to the importance of an issue. In philosophical and theological contexts, substantiel relates to substance or essence rather than to incidental properties, reflecting its historical link to the concept of substance.

The word comes from Latin substantialis, from substantia meaning substance. It entered French through medieval and early modern usage. The masculine form is substantiel, while the feminine form is substantielle. The adverbial form is substantiellement.

In everyday language, substantiel often conveys more than mere size: a substantiel budget, a substantiel effort, or a substantielle différence emphasizes that the matter is weighty or essential rather than merely noticeable. It is common to see substantiel used as a near-synonym of important, considerable, or major, but with a nuance that stresses substantiality or intrinsic importance rather than superficial aspects. The term can pair with both concrete and abstract nouns, such as "une part substantielle" or "un changement substantiel."

Substantiel contrasts with adjectives that indicate superficiality or minor degree, and it should not be confused with synonyms that stress mere quantity alone. Related terms include substance (substance) and essential (essentiel) in French, and the cognate English word substantial, which shares etymology but occupies different uses in idiomatic French contexts.

See also: substance, essence, substantia, substantivalence.