subsurface

American

[suhb-sur-fuhs, suhb-sur-] / sʌbˈsɜr fəs, ˈsʌbˌsɜr- /

adjective

below the surface, especially of a body of water.

Etymology

Origin of subsurface

First recorded in 1770–80; sub- + surface

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.

See Examples For:

subsurface

"We're looking at the subsurface level and then everything from that up beyond the canopy."

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Exactly how the water moves through the subsurface remains uncertain.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 2, 2026

"The subsurface anomaly that we're seeing so far is pretty strong," said Peter van Rensch, a climate scientist at Australia's Monash University.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

Saturn's surroundings are of growing interest because of Enceladus, a moon that ejects icy plumes from a subsurface ocean and may potentially support life.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 3, 2026

There were no windows, for there was no scenery to see in the subsurface vacuum tube.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

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