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subtropical

American  
[suhb-trop-i-kuhl] / sʌbˈtrɒp ɪ kəl /

adjective

  1. bordering on the tropics; nearly tropical.

  2. pertaining to or occurring in a region between tropical and temperate; subtorrid; semitropical.


noun

  1. a subtropical plant.

subtropical British  
/ sʌbˈtrɒpɪkəl /

adjective

  1. situated in, used in, characteristic of, or relating to the subtropics

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

subtropical Scientific  
/ sŭb-trŏp′ĭ-kəl /
  1. Relating to the regions of the Earth bordering on the tropics, just north of the Tropic of Cancer or just south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Subtropical regions are the warmest parts of the two Temperate Zones.


Etymology

Origin of subtropical

First recorded in 1835–45; sub- + tropical

Vocabulary lists containing subtropical

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:

These high-pressure winds feed into the subtropical jet stream, giving an extra boost that propels it further east over North America, causing it to blow stronger and steadier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

The prolonged hot weather created ideal conditions for the subtropical species to reproduce naturally, as the sand retained heat accumulated during the day.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

A future southward movement of the subtropical front could increase the amount of salty water entering the Atlantic.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

The diseases that Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are known to carry—chikungunya, Zika, dengue, and yellow fever—as well as most other mosquito-borne diseases, are most common in tropical and subtropical climates.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

I live in a subtropical area where even the inactive can expect to be moist nine months out of the year.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

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