subcaliber

American

[suhb-kal-uh-ber] / sʌbˈkæl ə bər /

adjective

noting or pertaining to ammunition of smaller caliber than the gun in which it is used.

Etymology

Origin of subcaliber

First recorded in 1860–65; sub- + caliber ( def. )

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.

They have become a subcaliber franchise and their QB follies are laughable.

From Washington Post

Ike wound up his tour in the American zone, saw U.S. tankmen, using subcaliber ammunition, trying to shoot on a miniature range, measured in yards, not miles.

From Time Magazine Archive

But he saw that Sydenham was no target for him, save in a sort of subcaliber practice.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023