subtropical

adjective

sub·​trop·​i·​cal ˌsəb-ˈträ-pi-kəl 

variants or less commonly subtropic

ˌsəb-ˈträ-pik 

: of, relating to, or being the regions bordering on the tropical zone

subtropical environment

subtropical grasses

Examples of subtropical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After the last row of strip malls and subdivisions, the Everglades took over, in a vast, hot expanse of subtropical wetland. —Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025

Somewhere between a sweater and a scarf, a cape is a breezy and versatile piece ideally suited to the volatile forecasts of the city’s humid subtropical climate. —Abbey Hudetz, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025

The county received significant rain last week from subtropical weather that developed south of Cabo San Lucas. —Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025

One critical ingredient often missing in Arizona’s summer months is the subtropical jet stream, a narrow band of strong winds about 6 miles above the ground. —Arlyssa D. Becenti, AZCentral.com, 13 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subtropical

• intertropical
• microscopical
• neotropical
• topical
• tropical

Kids Definition

subtropical

adjective

sub·​trop·​i·​cal ˌsəb-ˈträp-i-kəl 

ˈsəb-

variants also subtropic

-ˈträp-ik 

: of, relating to, or being the regions bordering on the tropical zone

subtropical forests