suborder

noun

sub·or·der | \ ˈsəb-ˌȯr-dər

How to pronounce suborder (audio)

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Definition of suborder

: a subdivision of an order a soil suborder especially : a taxonomic category ranking between an order and a family

Examples of suborder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Ankylosaurus magniventris is an ankylosaur—a suborder of four-legged, armored, and mostly herbivorous dinosaurs—but not all ankylosaurs were Ankylosaurus. — Amy Mckeever, National Geographic, "Here's what made Ankylosaurus the armored tank of dinosaurs," 22 Sep. 2020 This dinosaur is the namesake of its suborder, which included both ankylosaurids and the more primitive nodosaurids. — Amy Mckeever, National Geographic, "Here's what made Ankylosaurus the armored tank of dinosaurs," 22 Sep. 2020 One group of these animals, a suborder called Cyphophthalmi but more commonly known as mite harvestmen, falls a little short. — Emily Willingham, Wired, "Does a Millipede Have a Penis? Well ... Define 'Penis'," 22 Sep. 2020 Meanwhile, true ammonites are a suborder of ammonoids that didn’t appear until about 200 million years ago, in the Jurassic period. — Amy Mckeever, National Geographic, "What are ammonites, and how did they come to rule the prehistoric seas?," 4 Aug. 2020 Conversely, possum refers to a suborder of tree-living marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi. — National Geographic, "Bison or buffalo? Possum or opossum? What's the difference?," 23 Jan. 2020 The insects of this suborder are also tiny—most skiff beetles are about 1 millimeter in size. — Joshua Rapp Learn, Smithsonian, "Fossil Beetle Mix-Up Could Rewrite the History of the Largest Family of Animals on Earth," 10 Sep. 2019 In contrast with the latter order, Myxophaga is a relatively small suborder with only a few dozen species. — Joshua Rapp Learn, Smithsonian, "Fossil Beetle Mix-Up Could Rewrite the History of the Largest Family of Animals on Earth," 10 Sep. 2019 Cystisoma belong to a suborder of marine crustaceans called hyperiid amphipods, which live in every ocean, from just below the surface to right near the floor. — Emily Underwood, Smithsonian, "The Master of Disguise of the Ocean Reveals Its Secrets," 30 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suborder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Suborder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suborder. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for suborder

suborder

noun

sub·or·der | \ ˈsəb-ˌȯrd-ər

\

Medical Definition of suborder

: a category in biological classification ranking below an order and above a family

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