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 spacecraft also discovered icy plumes of water erupting from Saturn's moon Enceladus, revealing new clues into that moon's subsurface ocean of liquid water, complete with hydrothermal events like those found in Earth's oceans. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Paired with real-time subsurface geographic information systems (GIS) data, this gets even more powerful. — Ronald Bisio, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 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