subscript
Americanadjective
-
written below (distinguished from adscript, superscript).
noun
-
Also called subfix. any character, number, or symbol written next to and slightly below another.
adjective
noun
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
Explanation
A subscript is a character, usually a letter or number, that's printed slightly below and to the side of another character. Subscripts are commonly used in chemical formulas. A scientist would write the formula for water, H2O, so that the 2 appears lower and smaller than the letters on either side of it. That's what subscript is for, to set certain characters apart from others. It's closely related to superscript, when a letter or number is printed above another character. Subscript comes from the Latin subscribere, "write underneath."
Vocabulary lists containing subscript
Chemistry - High School
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Chemistry - Middle School
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Chemical Reactions - Middle School
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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 day subscript refers to the statistics day students.
From Textbooks ● Mar. 27, 2020
A molecule of oxygen, O2, contains two oxygen atoms; the subscript 2 in the formula must be used to distinguish the diatomic molecule from two single oxygen atoms.
From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019
Finally, derive the molecular formula for nicotine from the empirical formula by multiplying each subscript by two:
From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019
In this case, dividing by the smallest subscript still leaves us with a decimal subscript in the empirical formula.
From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019
Later, for no special reason, the fashion became to render the number as subscript: H2O.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
