suborbital

S1U1B3O1R1B3I1T1A1L1

adjective

Not reaching orbit; having a trajectory that does not reach orbital velocity and so must return to ground eventually.

“The first rocket test was suborbital; it didn't even get off the ground but rather exploded on the launchpad.”

Similar
infraorbitalsubocular
Opposite
supraorbital
OriginEnglish orbital ← Latin sub- ← Proto-Italic *supo →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

adjectivesuborbital (not comparable)

alternative sub-orbital

  1. not comparableastronomyNot reaching orbit; having a trajectory that does not reach orbital velocity and so must return to ground eventually.

    The first rocket test was suborbital; it didn't even get off the ground but rather exploded on the launchpad.

  2. not comparableanatomyBelow the orbit of the eye.

    Synonyms: infraorbital · Antonyms: supraorbital

nounsuborbital (plural suborbitals)

plural suborbitals · alternative sub-orbital

  1. anatomyA suborbital bone.
  2. natural sciencesA portion of an orbital.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveBelow the orbit of the eye.

Similar
infraorbital
Opposite
supraorbital

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivesituated on or below the floor of the eye socket

Similar
subocular
Also see
infraorbitalsubocularsuborbitary

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Proto-Italic*supo
  3. Latinsub
  4. Latinsub-
  5. Englishsub-
  6. Englishorbital
  7. Englishsuborbital

From sub- + orbital.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German suborbital
  • suborbitalnot reaching orbit
Spanish suborbital, suborbital
  • suborbitalnot reaching orbit
  • suborbitalbelow the orbit of the eye
  • suborbitariobelow the orbit of the eye

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with suborbital

orbitalperiorbitalsupraorbitalinfraorbitalanteorbitalbiorbitalcircumorbitalcoorbitalcranioorbitalexorbitalextraorbitalfrontoorbitalinterorbitalintraorbitalmaxilloorbitalmidorbitalmultiorbitalnonorbitalocellorbitalparaorbitalpostinfraorbitalpostorbitalpreorbitalsphenoorbital
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

suborbital. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suborbital

MLA

“suborbital.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suborbital. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “suborbital,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suborbital.

Source: suborbital on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.