Substitutes

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A replacement that takes on a role or function of another, often used temporarily, can denote objects, items, or individuals serving similar purposes or needs
2. An alternative thing or person utilized to replace another in a specific context; a temporary fill-in that serves the same function or meets similar requirements; objects or individuals that act in lieu of others to achieve comparable results
3. An entity used to take the place of another, performing its duties or functions when needed

Etymology: The plural form "substitutes" simply adds an -s to "substitute", so the history lies in the singular. That word came into English from Latin "substitutus", the past participle of "substituō", which combined "sub-", meaning "under" or "beneath", with "statuō", meaning "to put up" or "establish". The sense is literally of one thing being set up beneath or in place of another, which is the idea of stepping into someone else's position. English already had its own words for this idea. Old English offered "spala" for a substitute and "spelian" for the act of substituting, and the Latin-derived term eventually displaced them. The newcomer arrived through Middle English, where it appeared in the form "substituten", and it has since spread across the vocabulary of replacement, from sports benches to ingredient lists.

Synonyms: alternatives, replacement, surrogates, proxy, stand-ins

Antonyms: original, genuine, authentic