subsurface

1 of 2

noun

sub·​sur·​face ˈsəb-ˌsər-fəs How to pronounce subsurface (audio)
: earth material (such as rock) near but not exposed at the surface of the ground

subsurface

2 of 2

adjective

sub·​sur·​face ˌsəb-ˈsər-fəs How to pronounce subsurface (audio)
: of, relating to, or being something located beneath a surface and especially underground

Examples of subsurface in a Sentence

Adjective a sandy wasteland that gave little hint of its subsurface wealth
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The strikes came from the air, surface and subsurface, the U.S. Naval Institute reported, including fighter jets from a base in the Middle East and from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. George Petras, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2024 There’s evidence of subsurface oceans at several icy moons in the solar system, including Jupiter’s moon Europa, Saturn’s moon Enceladus and, suggested just last week, its small moon Mimas. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 After all, Enceladus, a moon of Saturn known to have a subsurface ocean, spurts geysers of water out of fractures in its crust—but the frigid, quiet Mimas stands in stark contrast to that. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024 The ocean is still evolving, so Mimas may offer a unique window into the processes behind how subsurface oceans have formed on other icy moons, the researchers said. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 That's in sharp contrast to moons like Europa and Enceladus, where the subsurface oceans allow the constant remodeling of their surfaces, leaving them with much sparser crater histories. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2024 Pike also will take subsurface lures such as crankbaits, spinnerbaits and spoons. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Unlike a lot of moons around Jupiter and Saturn, which have surface ice or subsurface water, Io is a very dry world. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 2 Jan. 2024 Observations taken by an orbiting spacecraft in the 1990s suggested a high level of hydrogen in the subsurface of some of the lunar South Pole’s craters, a possible sign of water ice. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2023
Adjective
So Marco Mastrogiuseppe, a researcher on the Cassini team who had used instruments like RADAR to map subsurface water on Mars, decided to try something. Liz Kruesi, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015 An entire ocean’s worth is unlikely, but a significant amount of subsurface water isn’t. John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 8 Dec. 2022 After analyzing that data, researchers had a subsurface picture of the rocks, clay and thermal liquid below Yellowstone. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 May 2022 Evaluation protocols of subsurface measurements and training of all rig site personnel have improved the drilling economics of this geothermal project. Ian Palmer, Forbes, 19 May 2022 The team is set to land near the lunar south pole because previous evidence suggests that the area may contain subsurface water ice, per Gizmodo. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2022 Shallow pools of subsurface water froze and fractured the surface again and again. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 22 Apr. 2022 This is an important scientific mission tasked with searching for ice at the south pole and using a one-meter drill to prospect for subsurface samples. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 20 Apr. 2022 In Greenland, the ridges formed when shallow pools of subsurface water froze, thawed and refroze, fracturing the surface over time, the Guardian reports. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subsurface.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1775, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subsurface was in 1775

Dictionary Entries Near subsurface

Cite this Entry

“Subsurface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsurface. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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