sublethal

English

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *upó
Proto-Italic *supo
Latin sub
Latin sub-der.
English sub-
English lethal
English sublethal

    From sub- + lethal.

    Adjective

    sublethal (comparative more sublethal, superlative most sublethal)

    1. Less than lethal.
      a sublethal dose
      • 2015 November 24, Patrick Barkham, “Pesticide may be reason butterfly numbers are falling in UK, says study”, in The Guardian‎[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 October 2026:
        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.

    Derived terms

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