subsurface

1 of 2

noun

sub·​sur·​face ˈsəb-ˌsər-fəs 

: 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 

: of, relating to, or being something located beneath a surface and especially underground

Synonyms of subsurface

Adjective

• underground
• subterranean

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 result was the equivalent of an X-ray of the subsurface extending roughly 300 feet underground, without drilling a single hole. — Nolan Roth, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2026

Modern airborne geophysical surveys can map subsurface structures that older methods could not detect. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Unlike surface waves that break at the coast, these are subsurface shifts in ocean heat that move across thousands of miles. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 June 2026

An entire ocean’s worth is unlikely, but a significant amount of subsurface water isn’t. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 8 Dec. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1775, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1875, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subsurface

• resurface
• hypersurface
• undersurface
• surface