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

Southern China’s tropical to subtropical climate – with heavy rainfall, heat, and humidity – accelerates chemical weathering, while the region’s long history of tectonic and magmatic activity adds further erosion. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025

Okinawa has a subtropical climate—while the Caribbean has a tropical climate—and temperatures range from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025

Southern live oaks draped in Spanish moss that tower and twist over city squares, Neoclassical Antebellum architecture, gas lamps that flicker over uneven cobblestone paths, and a humid subtropical climate that hangs heavy in the air. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025

They are found all over the world, mostly in subtropical and temperate regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Oct. 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