subcontinent

American  

[suhb-kon-tn-uhnt, suhb-kon-] / sʌbˈkɒn tn ənt, ˈsʌbˌkɒn- /

noun

1. a large, relatively self-contained landmass forming a subdivision of a continent.

   The Himalayas arose when what is now the Indian subcontinent collided with the Eurasian Plate during the Cretaceous period.

2. a large landmass, such as Greenland, that is smaller than any of the usually recognized continents.

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subcontinent British  

/ ˌsʌbkɒntɪˈnɛntəl, sʌbˈkɒntɪnənt /

noun

1. a large land mass that is a distinct part of a continent, such as India is of Asia

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Other Word Forms

• subcontinental adjective

Etymology

Origin of subcontinent

First recorded in 1860–65; sub- + continent

Explanation

A large and distinct section of a continent can be called a subcontinent. Many subcontinents are separated from the rest of a continent by geographical features. One of the most well-known subcontinents is the Indian subcontinent, which was once the country of India, but today includes Pakistan and Bangladesh. This area makes up a large section of Asia, in the form of a long peninsula that sits on a separate tectonic plate from the rest of the continent. Alaska is another subcontinent, geographically separate from the rest of North America.

Example Sentences

Energy-rich Turkmenistan, one of the world's most reclusive and sealed-off states, has stated its desire to diversify its exports towards Europe and the Indian subcontinent.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

DIA’s brief to Congress didn’t mention the group on the Indian subcontinent at all.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2026

She became the first woman of Indian ancestry to serve as prime minister of a country outside the subcontinent when she won the office in 2010.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

Many H-1B applicants are bright Indian students who have not found employment in the subcontinent worthy of their education, and often do not have the means to turn over such heaping visa sums.

From Slate • Sep. 23, 2025

Tribal and band societies in Eurasia were largely confined to the Arctic reindeer herders, the Siberian hunter-gatherers, and the hunter-gatherer enclaves in the Indian subcontinent and tropical Southeast Asia.

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