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subtropical

American  
[suhb-trop-i-kuhl] / sʌbˈtrɒp ɪ kəl /

adjective

  1. bordering on the tropics; nearly tropical.

  2. pertaining to or occurring in a region between tropical and temperate; subtorrid; semitropical.


noun

  1. a subtropical plant.

subtropical British  
/ sʌbˈtrɒpɪkəl /

adjective

  1. situated in, used in, characteristic of, or relating to the subtropics

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

subtropical Scientific  
/ sŭb-trŏp′ĭ-kəl /
  1. Relating to the regions of the Earth bordering on the tropics, just north of the Tropic of Cancer or just south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Subtropical regions are the warmest parts of the two Temperate Zones.


Etymology

Origin of subtropical

First recorded in 1835–45; sub- + tropical


Vocabulary lists containing subtropical

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

These high-pressure winds feed into the subtropical jet stream, giving an extra boost that propels it further east over North America, causing it to blow stronger and steadier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

During El Niño, the subtropical Pacific high, which ordinarily helps maintain dry conditions over the region, becomes weaker.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

The prolonged hot weather created ideal conditions for the subtropical species to reproduce naturally, as the sand retained heat accumulated during the day.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

These materials allowed them to estimate past ocean temperatures and track movements of the Southern Ocean subtropical front toward the north or south.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Spanish landfalls in the Americas were at subtropical latitudes highly suitable for food production, based at first mostly on Native American crops but also on Eurasian domestic animals, especially cattle and horses.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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