subtotal

American  

[suhb-toht-l, suhb-toht-] / ˈsʌbˌtoʊt l, sʌbˈtoʊt- /

noun

1. the sum or total of a part of a group or column of figures, as in an accounting statement.

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adjective

1. somewhat less than complete; not total.

   subtotal commitment.

verb (used with object)

subtotaled, subtotaling, subtotalled, subtotalling

1. to determine a subtotal for, as figures.

verb (used without object)

subtotaled, subtotaling, subtotalled, subtotalling

1. to determine a subtotal.

subtotal British  

/ sʌbˈtəʊtəl, ˈsʌbˌtəʊtəl /

noun

1. the total made up by a column of figures, etc, forming part of the total made up by a larger column or group

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verb

1. to establish or work out a subtotal for (a column, group, etc)

Etymology

Origin of subtotal

First recorded in 1905–10; sub- + total

Explanation

When you're adding a list of numbers, the subtotal is what you get after adding some (but not all) of them. If you order a few pairs of socks online, your subtotal is the cost of the socks before tax or shipping costs are added. And if you're tallying up the number of doughnuts you've seen your brother eat in a week, you might get 10 as a subtotal before adding the final two he eats on Saturday. Subtotal adds the "under" or "almost" prefix sub- to total, from the Latin tōtus, "all, whole, entire."

Example Sentences

Kate Dyson, 44, from Hastings, underwent the surgery six months ago after having a subtotal hysterectomy just over four years ago to remove her uterus - a procedure which leaves the cervix in place.

From BBC • Nov. 10, 2025

Assuming a 11.75 percent tax rate, Martin’s subtotal was about $25.

From Washington Post • Oct. 13, 2022

Airbnb says most guests pay less than 14.2 percent of the booking subtotal as its service fee.

From New York Times • Dec. 28, 2021

One comment we heard: Should the tip be calculated based on the pretax subtotal or after-tax total?

From Chicago Tribune • Sep. 10, 2014

The subtotal is less than one-fifth of the Kansan avifauna, but it represents 72 per cent of the grassland birds of North America; grassland habitats abound in Kansas.

From The Breeding Birds of Kansas by Johnston, Richard F.