Meanings
adjectivesublethal (comparative more sublethal, superlative most sublethal)
comparative more sublethal · superlative most sublethal
- Less than lethal.
a sublethal dose
1 more example
A US study published earlier this year found that dust emitted when seeds treated with neonicotinoids are planted causes sub-lethal effects in caterpillars of the monarch butterfly.
2015 November 24, Patrick Barkham, “Pesticide may be reason butterfly numbers are falling in UK, says study”, in The Guardian
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*upó
- Proto-Italic*supo
- Latinsub
- Latinsub-
- Englishsub-
- Englishlethal
- Englishsublethal
Cite this entry
APA
sublethal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sublethal
MLA
“sublethal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sublethal. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sublethal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sublethal.
Source: sublethal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.