subscript

American  

[suhb-skript] / ˈsʌb skrɪpt /

adjective

1. written below (adscript,superscript ).

2. inferior.

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noun

1. inferior.

2. Also called subfix.  any character, number, or symbol written next to and slightly below another.

subscript British  

/ ˈsʌbskrɪpt /

adjective

1. printing (of a character) written or printed below the line Compare superscript

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noun

1. Also called: subindex.  a subscript character

Etymology

Origin of subscript

1695–1705; < Latin subscrīptus (past participle of subscrībere to subscribe ), equivalent to sub- sub- + scrīb ( ere ) to write + -tus past participle suffix

Example Sentences

He was scratching rapidly at the second page, his fingers blue with ink, while Henry proofread the first one, dashing in subscripts and aspirants with his fountain pen.

From Literature

If a number is written in a base other than ten, the base is often indicated as a subscript.

From Scientific American

Along the way, his anecdotes form a fascinating subscript.

From Nature

Later, for no special reason, the fashion became to render the number as subscript: H2O.

From Literature

The word monotonic means, according to Merriam-Webster Online, “having the property either of never increasing or of never decreasing as the values of the independent variable or the subscripts of the terms increase.”

From Forbes