Substantation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of providing factual evidence or logical arguments to demonstrate the truth or validity of a claim
2. The action of backing up an assertion with concrete proof, documentation, or reasoning that establishes its foundation
3. The establishment of a statement's credibility through the presentation of supporting facts, records, or sound argumentation

Etymology: The word begins with "substance," which comes from Latin "substantia," built from "substans," the present participle of "substare," meaning "to stand under." The idea was of something that underlies and supports the things we perceive, which is why "substance" came to mean the basic material of a thing and then, in a looser sense, its real content or worth. The verb "substantiate" grew from the same root and means to make something real or to establish it as true. "Substantiation" is that verb plus the suffix "-ation," which turns an action into a noun. So the word names the act of backing a claim with evidence. A writer who gives sources for a statement, or a witness whose testimony confirms an account, is providing substantiation.

Synonyms: verification, confirmation, corroboration

Antonyms: refutation, disproof