subzero

adjective

sub·​ze·​ro ˌsəb-ˈzē-(ˌ)rō 

-ˈzir-(ˌ)ō

variants or sub-zero

1

: registering less than zero on some scale (especially the Fahrenheit scale)

subzero temperatures

2

: characterized by or suitable for subzero temperatures

subzero winters

sub-zero snow boots

Here the altitude was almost a mile and a half above sea level and there was already hard frost in the mornings. With the first storm, the mornings would be subzero.

—Tony Hillerman

Examples of subzero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nothing polar, no more subzero weather is imminent, but a few more days in the 30s with slush? —Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 18 Mar. 2021

Bronson said that in the absence of a dedicated winter shelter, hundreds of unhoused people could be exposed to subzero temperatures this winter. —Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 25 July 2023

Hargrave shot that part of the sequence over three nights in subzero temperatures. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 June 2023

Come up with the title of a good piece of music for this subzero merry-go-round. —The Week Staff, The Week, 21 Apr. 2023

Heat pump technology has steadily improved in recent years, with many models able to operate efficiently in subzero temperatures. —Brad Plumer, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2023

Most of the movie was shot in Massachusetts, outside of Rockport, but that sequence was shot on a cliff over Lake Superior in Duluth, Minn., in January and subzero temperatures. —Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2023

February's spasm of subzero weather was a reminder that many winters are trending milder, with sudden outbreaks of bitter cold. —Todd Nelson, Star Tribune, 12 Mar. 2021

Banks and investors in Europe are to some extent used to wrestling with the impact of subzero interest rates: The eurozone has had negative rates since 2014, and the ECB pushed its policy rate further down to minus 0.5% a year ago. —Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 3 Sep. 2020

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Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

subzero

adjective

sub·​ze·​ro

ˌsəb-ˈzē-rō

: being or marked by temperature below zero