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

The subtropical feel allows for plenty of golf, walks on the beach, fishing, gardening, boating, and hiking, all of which are hobbies beloved by many retirees. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026

Those snakes went on to reproduce and thrive in South Florida’s subtropical climate, decimating some ecosystems. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026

Indiana found itself in the middle of a winter storm this weekend that spanned from Texas to New England thanks to an Arctic airmass from the north that met up with a wet, subtropical flow from the south. —Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 28 Jan. 2026

Despite a subtropical climate, rainfall is limited, freshwater resources are scarce and Atlantic trade winds regularly sweep across the islands carrying salt and humidity. —Emily Price, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026

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