sub-zero
Americanadjective
-
indicating or recording lower than zero on some scale, especially on the Fahrenheit scale.
a week of sub-zero temperatures.
-
characterized by or appropriate for sub-zero temperatures.
sub-zero climates; sub-zero clothing for the exploration.
Etymology
Origin of sub-zero
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.
The scientists discovered four different yeasts that can survive sub-zero temperatures in Oetzi's guts, skin and "brownish" water that melted off his body when he was partially unfrozen.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
They are also without the suspended Lamine Yamal for Wednesday's match, which will take place in sub-zero conditions.
From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026
It forecast sub-zero temperatures into the evening and overnight, with the mercury barely above freezing into Tuesday.
From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026
North-west England's water company United Utilities has warned people to check their pipes for leaks when a period of sub-zero temperatures ends.
From BBC • Jan. 4, 2026
He was behind his curtain now, looking down at himself freezing under the impact of water in sub-zero winds.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
