Substrate vs. Soil — What's the Difference?

The material or substance on which an enzyme acts.

Soil is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Earth's body of soil, called the pedosphere, has four important functions: as a medium for plant growth as a means of water storage, supply and purification as a modifier of Earth's atmosphere as a habitat for organismsAll of these functions, in their turn, modify the soil and its properties.

(Biology) A surface on which an organism grows or is attached.

The top layer of the earth's surface in which plants can grow, consisting of rock and mineral particles mixed with decayed organic matter and having the capability of retaining water.

An underlying layer; a substratum.

A particular kind of earth or ground

(Linguistics) An indigenous language that contributes features to the language of an invading people who impose their language on the indigenous population.

Country; land

An underlying layer; a substratum.

The agricultural life

The substance lining the bottom edge of an enclosure.

A place or condition favorable to growth; a breeding ground.

(biochemistry) A substance acted upon, as by an enzyme.

The state of being soiled.

(biology) A surface on which an organism grows, or to which an organism or an item is attached.

A stain.

(linguistics) A language that is replaced in a population by another language and that influences the language imposed on its speakers.

Filth, sewage, or refuse.

(plating) A metal which is plated with another metal which has different physical properties.

Manure, especially human excrement, used as fertilizer.

(construction) A surface to which a substance adheres.

To make dirty, particularly on the surface.

To strew or lay under.

To disgrace; tarnish

Having very slight furrows.

To corrupt; defile.

A substratum.

To dirty with excrement.

Having very slight furrows.

To become dirty, stained, or tarnished.

To strew or lay under anything.

To feed (livestock) with soilage.

The substance acted upon by an enzyme or ferment

(uncountable) A mixture of mineral particles and organic material, used to support plant growth.

Any stratum lying underneath another

(uncountable) The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.

(uncountable) The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of genetic and environmental factors of: climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by relief, acting on parent material over a period of time. A product-soil differs from the material from which it is derived in many physical, chemical, biological, and morphological properties and characteristics.

Country or territory.

That which soils or pollutes; a stain.

A marshy or miry place to which a hunted boar resorts for refuge; hence, a wet place, stream, or tract of water, sought for by other game, as deer.

Dung; compost; manure.

Faeces or urine etc. when found on clothes.

A bag containing soiled items.

A wet or marshy place in which a boar or other such game seeks refuge when hunted.

(transitive) To make dirty.

(intransitive) To become dirty or soiled.

To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully.

(reflexive) To dirty one's clothing by accidentally defecating while clothed.

To make invalid, to ruin.

To enrich with soil or muck; to manure.

To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an enclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (due to such food having the effect of purging them) to purge by feeding on green food.

To feed, as cattle or horses, in the barn or an inclosure, with fresh grass or green food cut for them, instead of sending them out to pasture; hence (such food having the effect of purging them), to purge by feeding on green food; as, to soil a horse.

To enrich with soil or muck; to manure.

To make dirty or unclean on the surface; to foul; to dirty; to defile; as, to soil a garment with dust.

To stain or mar, as with infamy or disgrace; to tarnish; to sully.

To become soiled; as, light colors soil sooner than dark ones.

The upper stratum of the earth; the mold, or that compound substance which furnishes nutriment to plants, or which is particularly adapted to support and nourish them.

Land; country.

Dung; fæces; compost; manure; as, night soil.

A marshy or miry place to which a hunted boar resorts for refuge; hence, a wet place, stream, or tract of water, sought for by other game, as deer.

That which soils or pollutes; a soiled place; spot; stain.

The state of being covered with unclean things

The part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock

Material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use);

The geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state;

Make soiled, filthy, or dirty;