substrate

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sub·strate / ˈsəbˌstrāt/ • n. a substance or layer that underlies something, or on which some process occurs, in particular: ∎  the surface or material on or from which an organism lives, grows, or obtains its nourishment. ∎  the substance on which an enzyme acts. ∎  a material that provides the surface on which something is deposited or inscribed, for example the silicon wafer used to manufacture integrated circuits.

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