subnormal
- adjective
- /sʌbˈnɔːrməl/
- His test scores were subnormal, indicating he may need extra support.
- subnormal bone conduction
- subnormal bone
- subnormal hearing
Examples
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If we have subnormal inflation, bad things will happen.
Blog text (12) -
Subnormal operation of the banking industry might drag on for a few years.
Blog text (32) -
"In fact, her temperature was subnormal." "And you did get a strong history of asthma and allergies," Jack said.
Fiction book (1999) -
At baseline assessment, 31% of the patients had subnormal blood thiamine levels and 30% had low folate.
Blog text (31) -
Due to a subnormal pituitary gland, he was unable to resist the powerful influence of Nathan Leopold.
-
The company's profits have been subnormal this quarter compared to last year.
-
After the assessment, the doctor noted that her physical fitness was subnormal for her age.
Synonyms
Not enough in amount or level
Not very strong and present in small amounts
Not as good as the usual or required quality
Not as good as people expect
Worse than usual or expected in quality, performance and health
Lower than the normal level in quality or performance
Slightly below the usual amount, level, or sound
Antonyms
Compounds
- Archaic
Thinking ability that is much lower than most people's and shown by standard tests
How Normal
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Subnormal has the prefix sub- meaning 'under', the same sub- you see in submarine, and normal meaning 'usual' or 'standard'. So it literally means 'under the usual level', which is why we use it for amounts, quality, or performance below average.