subcontinent

noun

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

Examples of subcontinent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most famous are the hijras, who traditionally attended weddings, births, and religious ceremonies across the subcontinent, offering blessings and receiving gifts or alms in return. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026 The subcontinent was partitioned into India and Pakistan along borders that collectively came to be known as the Radcliffe Line. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 At some point in the mid-1850s, the river Padma suddenly carved a new path through the village of his ancestors in modern-day Bangladesh, flooding their homes and scattering them across the Indian subcontinent. — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 In the years immediately following the Partition of the Indian subcontinent in August 1947 and the first India-Pakistan war a few months later, the two nations ramped up trade and inked new trade facilitation deals. — Michael Kugelman, Time, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for subcontinent

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subcontinent was in 1845

Rhymes for subcontinent

See All Rhymes for subcontinent

Browse Nearby Words

subcontiguous
subcontinent
subcontract
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Cite this Entry

“Subcontinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subcontinent. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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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
ˌsəb-ˌkänt-ᵊn-ˈent-ᵊl How to pronounce subcontinent (audio)
adjective

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