Sub
/sʌb/
Definitions
3 meaningsA submarine or a substitute player.
/sʌb/
Short for 'submarine' or 'substitute'
The sub surfaced after a long mission.
💡 Simply: Think of a submarine, the underwater vehicle, or when a player comes in to replace another during a game. You might call the player, a 'sub'!
👶 For kids: It's short for submarine, a boat that goes underwater, or when someone gets to play in a game instead of someone else.
More Examples
The coach put in a sub to replace the tired forward.
How It's Used
"The sub launched its torpedoes."
"The coach sent in a sub for the injured player."
To replace a player during a game.
/sʌb/
To substitute (a player)
The coach will sub in a new pitcher in the next inning.
💡 Simply: To swap one player for another in a game. Like the coach decided to 'sub' a player out.
👶 For kids: When you change players in a game.
How It's Used
"The coach decided to sub him out in the second half."
A prefix indicating 'under', 'below', or 'secondary'
/sʌb/
Meaning 'under' or 'below'
The submarine traveled underwater.
💡 Simply: Adding 'sub' to a word, such as 'submarine', tells us it's something that goes under something else (the sea!).
👶 For kids: It means under or below! Like 'subway' is under the ground!
More Examples
The word 'subconscious' means existing below the level of consciousness.
How It's Used
"The submarine goes under water."
"The subtitle appears at the bottom of the screen."
Idioms & expressions
sub par
Below average; not as good as expected.
"The team's performance was sub par today."
Shortening of Latin 'sub' meaning 'under' or 'below'. It's used as a prefix and also independently.
The prefix 'sub' has been used in English since the 16th century, derived from Latin.
Memory tip
Think of a SUBmarine going under the sea or a SUBstitute player coming in.
Word Origin
"under, below, near"