subcontinent

noun

sub·​con·​ti·​nent ˌsəb-ˈkän-tə-nənt How to pronounce subcontinent (audio)
-ˈkänt-nənt
: a large landmass smaller than a continent
especially : a major subdivision of a continent
the Indian subcontinent
subcontinental adjective

Examples of subcontinent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Gurkhas are soldiers from the Indian subcontinent who have long fought under British orders, in this instance to repel invading communist troops. Patrick Frater, Variety, 15 May 2024 The mountain peak has been steadily gaining height along with the rest of the Himalayas since its birth about 45 million years ago from the collision of the tectonic plates beneath the Indian subcontinent and Eurasia. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 1 Oct. 2024 While her identity may continue to excite the Indian diaspora in the United States, in the homeland observers are not only more muted on her connections but also uncertain about her strategic stance toward the subcontinent. Anika Arora Seth, Washington Post, 28 July 2024 Sri Lanka’s debt default and economic crisis have led the island nation to lean on neighbors in the subcontinent, with India providing food and fuel supplies and credit to the tune of $3.8 billion. Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Affairs, 3 Aug. 2022 See all Example Sentences for subcontinent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subcontinent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subcontinent was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near subcontinent

Cite this Entry

“Subcontinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subcontinent. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

subcontinent

noun
sub·​con·​ti·​nent ˈsəb-ˈkänt-ᵊn-ənt How to pronounce subcontinent (audio)
-ˈkänt-nənt,
-ˌkänt-
: a large area of land smaller than a continent
especially : a major subdivision of a continent
the Indian subcontinent
subcontinental adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on subcontinent

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