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Noun: substratum (substrata)  súb'stra-tum or súb'strey-tum [N. Amer], súb'strã-tum [Brit]
  1. A surface on which an organism grows or is attached
    "the gardener talked about the proper substratum for acid-loving plants";
    - substrate
     
  2. Any stratum or layer lying underneath another
    - substrate
     
  3. An indigenous language that contributes features to the language of an invading people who impose their language on the indigenous population
    "the Celtic languages of Britain are a substratum for English";
    - substrate

Derived forms: substrata

Type of: indigenous language, stratum, surface

Encyclopedia: Substratum