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subtropic

subtropic

5.5
A region to the north and south of the tropics with warm or mild weather
  • adjective
  • /sʌbˈtrɑpɪk/
translation icon : subtropical
  • The subtropic climate in Florida allows for the growth of a wide variety of fruits and flowers.

Examples

  • The subtropic regions are known for their lush vegetation and mild temperatures throughout the year.

  • He enjoyed a subtropic vacation in Costa Rica, where the weather was warm and pleasant.

  • In the centers of human civilization, subtropic zones near oceans and large rivers, human awareness of their own di-sexual breeding process was largely unknown, which is not surprising when one considers the bizarre complexity of the process.

    Fiction book (1999)

Synonyms

subtropical
vssubtropic
7 4.6

A region just north or south of the tropics with hot, humid summers and mild winters

is broader and refers to nearby areas with generally warm or mild climates
semitropical
vssubtropic
1 5.8

A warm, humid climate that is just outside the hottest parts of the Earth

is more general, referring to nearby areas with warm or mild climates
semitropic
vssubtropic
7.9

Having a climate like the area just outside the tropics with mild winters and hot summers

is used more generally for nearby tropical border regions with warm or mild climates

How Warm

tropical
144 3.4
subtropic
5.5
warm
1.0
temperate
14 3.9
cold
1.0

Surface Forms

subtropic positive

Morphology

subtropic = tropic (transparent) = sub + tropic

The adjective is directly formed by prefixing 'sub-' (meaning 'below/near') to 'tropic', so the meaning 'near the tropics' is directly inferable.

Etymology

Subtropic comes from the prefix sub- meaning 'below' and tropic from tropics, the warm area around the equator. So subtropic means the region 'just below' or next to the tropics, with warm or mild weather.