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suboptimal

[ suhb-op-tuh-muh l ]
/ sʌbˈɒp tə məl /
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR suboptimal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

being below an optimal level or standard.

RELATED WORDS

substandard, minimal, trivial, piddling, insignificant, negligible, paltry, trifling

Nearby words

  1. suboccipital nerve,
  2. suboccipitobregmatic diameter,
  3. subocean,
  4. suboceanic,
  5. subofficer,
  6. suborbital,
  7. suborder,
  8. subordinal,
  9. subordinary,
  10. subordinate
Also sub·op·ti·mum [suhb-op-tuh-muh m] /sʌbˈɒp tə məm/.

Origin of suboptimal

First recorded in 1930–35; sub- + optimal
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Word Origin and History for suboptimal

suboptimal

adj.

also sub-optimal, 1901, from sub- + optimal. Related: Suboptimally.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper