People or things that take the place of others; replacements or alternatives.
From Latin substitutus, past participle of substituere meaning 'to put in place of' (sub- 'under, in place of' + statuere 'to set up'). The word entered English in the 14th century through French.
The concept of substitution is fundamental to both cooking and chemistry—margarine was invented as a butter substitute for Napoleon's army, and artificial sweeteners emerged from the need to substitute sugar during wartime shortages. These substitutes often end up creating entirely new industries.
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