entity - that which is perceived or known or inferred to have its own distinct existence (living or nonliving)

food, nutrient - any substance that can be metabolized by an organism to give energy and build tissue

ballast - any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship

bedding material, bedding, litter - material used to provide a bed for animals

body substance - the substance of the body

living substance, protoplasm - the living substance of a cell (including cytoplasm and nucleus)

drift - something that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents

grinding - matter resulting from the process of grinding; "vegetable grindings clogged the drain"

sediment, deposit - matter deposited by some natural process

material, stuff - the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; "coal is a hard black material"; "wheat is the stuff they use to make bread"

ylem - (cosmology) the original matter that (according to the big bang theory) existed before the formation of the chemical elements

dark matter - (cosmology) a hypothetical form of matter that is believed to make up 90 percent of the matter in the universe; it is invisible (does not absorb or emit light) and does not collide with atomic particles but exerts gravitational force

antimatter - matter consisting of elementary particles that are the antiparticles of those making up normal matter

micronutrient - a substance needed only in small amounts for normal body function (e.g., vitamins or minerals)

philosopher's stone - a hypothetical substance that the alchemists believed to be capable of changing base metals into gold

precursor - a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction)

phlogiston - a hypothetical substance once believed to be present in all combustible materials and to be released during burning

allergen - any substance that can cause an allergy

assay - a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components

pyrectic, pyrogen - any substance that can cause a rise in body temperature

mixture - (chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding)

hydrocolloid - a substance that forms a gel with water

adulterant, adulterator - any substance that adulterates (lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance); "it is necessary to remove the adulterants before use"

atom - (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element

chemical element, element - any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter

propellant, propellent - something that propels

denaturant - any substance that serves as a denaturing agent

activator - (biology) any agency bringing about activation; a molecule that increases the activity of an enzyme or a protein that increases the production of a gene product in DNA transcription

inhibitor - a substance that retards or stops an activity

ferment - a substance capable of bringing about fermentation

substrate - the substance acted upon by an enzyme or ferment

carcinogen - any substance that produces cancer

chemical compound, compound - (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight

element - one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe; "the alchemists believed that there were four elements"

foamentation - a substance used as a warm moist medicinal compress or poultice

fuel - a substance that can be consumed to produce energy; "more fuel is needed during the winter months"; "they developed alternative fuels for aircraft"

medium - an intervening substance through which something is achieved; "the dissolving medium is called a solvent"

culture medium, medium - (bacteriology) a nutrient substance (solid or liquid) that is used to cultivate micro-organisms

medium - (biology) a substance in which specimens are preserved or displayed

humectant - any substance that is added to another substance to keep it moist

component part, part, portion, component - something determined in relation to something that includes it; "he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than himself"; "I read a portion of the manuscript"; "the smaller component is hard to reach"

cognitive content, mental object, content - the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned

bare bones - (plural) the most basic facts or elements; "he told us only the bare bones of the story"

hypostasis - (metaphysics) essential nature or underlying reality

haecceity, quiddity - the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other

quintessence - the purest and most concentrated essence of something

stuff - a critically important or characteristic component; "suspense is the very stuff of narrative"

idea, thought - the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind"

implication, significance, import - a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred; "the significance of his remark became clear only later"; "the expectation was spread both by word and by implication"

tenor, strain - pervading note of an utterance; "I could follow the general tenor of his argument"

undercurrent, undertone - subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning

denotation, reference, extension - the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to; "the extension of `satellite of Mars' is the set containing only Demos and Phobos"

reference - the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to; "he argued that reference is a consequence of conditioned reflexes"

connotation - an idea that is implied or suggested

capital - wealth in the form of money or property owned by a person or business and human resources of economic value

pocketbook - your personal financial means; "that car is too expensive for my pocketbook"

wherewithal - the necessary means (especially financial means)

communication - something that is communicated by or to or between people or groups

body - the central message of a communication; "the body of the message was short"

corker - a remarkable or astounding message; "that story was a corker"

reminder - a message that helps you remember something; "he ignored his wife's reminders"

petition, request, postulation - a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority

memorial - a written statement of facts submitted in conjunction with a petition to an authority

latent content - (psychoanalysis) hidden meaning of a fantasy or dream

subject, theme, topic - the subject matter of a conversation or discussion; "he didn't want to discuss that subject"; "it was a very sensitive topic"; "his letters were always on the theme of love"

digression, divagation, excursus, parenthesis, aside - a message that departs from the main subject

meaning, signification, import, significance - the message that is intended or expressed or signified; "what is the meaning of this sentence"; "the significance of a red traffic light"; "the signification of Chinese characters"; "the import of his announcement was ambigtuous"

hokum, meaninglessness, nonsense, nonsensicality, bunk - a message that seems to convey no meaning

drivel, garbage - a worthless message

acknowledgement, acknowledgment - a statement acknowledging something or someone; "she must have seen him but she gave no sign of acknowledgment"; "the preface contained an acknowledgment of those who had helped her"

refusal - a message refusing to accept something that is offered

info, information - a message received and understood

counseling, counselling, guidance, counsel, direction - something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action

dedication, commitment - a message that makes a pledge

commendation, approval - a message expressing a favorable opinion; "words of approval seldom passed his lips"

disapproval - the expression of disapproval

respects - (often used with `pay') a formal expression of esteem; "he paid his respects to the mayor"

discourtesy, disrespect - an expression of lack of respect

insertion, interpolation - a message (spoken or written) that is introduced or inserted; "with the help of his friend's interpolations his story was eventually told"; "with many insertions in the margins"

statement - a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc; "according to his statement he was in London on that day"

statement - a nonverbal message; "a Cadillac makes a statement about who you are"; "his tantrums are a statement of his need for attention"

humor, wit, witticism, wittiness, humour - a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

opinion, view - a message expressing a belief about something; the expression of a belief that is held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof; "his opinions appeared frequently on the editorial page"

instruction, direction - a message describing how something is to be done; "he gave directions faster than she could follow them"

proposal - something proposed (such as a plan or assumption)

offering, offer - something offered (as a proposal or bid); "noteworthy new offerings for investors included several index funds"

submission, entry - something (manuscripts or architectural plans and models or estimates or works of art of all genres etc.) submitted for the judgment of others (as in a competition); "several of his submissions were rejected by publishers"; "what was the date of submission of your proposal?"

narration, narrative, story, tale - a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program; "his narrative was interesting"; "Disney's stories entertain adults as well as children"

promotion, promotional material, publicity, packaging - a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution