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Glite Dictionary
🔢 A lower symbol ✍️ To write below 🔡 Lowercase position
subscript

subscript

6.3
Written below and to the right of a letter or number to show how many
  • adjective
  • /ˈsʌbˌskrɪpt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : subíndice
  • Mathematics often uses subscript notation to denote sequences, such as a<sub>1</sub>, a<sub>2</sub>, a<sub>3</sub>.

Examples

  • The subscript letters in the equation made it clear which variables were to be used in the calculations.

  • And O this O subscript S there are the observation distributions.

  • In the chemical formula H<sub>2</sub>O, the '2' is a subscript indicating that there are two hydrogen atoms.

Synonyms

inferior
vssubscript
  • Archaic
1 8.2

Placed slightly below and to the side of another character

is the general placement below and to one side, not limited to technical notation

Antonyms

superscript
  • Specialized
6.5

Above and to the right of another character, as in a power in math

How High

superscript
  • Specialized
6.5
subscript
  • Specialized
6.3

Surface Forms

subscript positive

Morphology

subscript = script (transparent) = sub + script

The adjective is transparently formed from 'sub-' + 'script' meaning 'written below'.

Etymology

The word subscript as an adjective comes from sub- 'under' and script 'write', so it means 'written under'. That is why a subscript letter or number sits just below and to the side of another character to show a special label.