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Origin and history of sub-

sub-

word-forming element of Latin origin meaning "under, beneath; behind; from under; resulting from further division," from Latin preposition sub "under, below, beneath, at the foot of," also "close to, up to, towards;" of time, "within, during;" figuratively "subject to, in the power of;" also "a little, somewhat" (as in sub-horridus "somewhat rough"), from PIE *(s)up- (perhaps representing *ex-upo-), a variant form of the root *upo "under," also "up from under," which also yielded Greek hypo- and English up.

The Latin word also was used in Latin as a prefix and in various combinations. In Latin it was reduced to su- before -s- and assimilated to following -c-, -f-, -g-, -p-, and often -r- and -m-.

In Old French the prefix appears in the full Latin form only "in learned adoptions of old Latin compounds" [OED], and in popular use it was represented by sous-, sou-; as in French souvenir from Latin subvenire, souscrire (Old French souzescrire) from subscribere, etc.

The original meaning is now obscure in many words from Latin (suggest, suspect, subject, etc.). The prefix is active in Modern English; the indication generally being:

1. "under, beneath, at the bottom of;" in adverbs "down, low, lower;"

2. "inferior part, agent, division, or degree; inferior, having subordinate position" (subcontractor) also forming official titles (subaltern);

It also can indicate "division into parts or sections;" "next below, near, close to" (subantarctic); "smaller" (sub-giant); and it may be used generally as "somewhat, partial, incomplete" (subliterate).

Entries linking to sub-

subject(n.)

early 14c., subget, "person under control or dominion of another," especially one who owes allegiance to a government or ruler; from Old French sogit, suget, subget "a subject person or thing" (12c., Modern French sujet), from noun use of Latin subiectus "lying under, below, near, bordering on," figuratively "subjected, subdued," past participle of subicere, subiicere "to place under, throw under, bind under; to make subject, subordinate," from sub "under" (from PIE root *upo "under") + combining form of iacere "to throw" (from PIE root *ye- "to throw, impel").

In 14c., sugges, sogetis, subgit, sugette; the form was re-Latinized in English 16c. The general meaning "person or thing regarded as recipient of action, one that may be acted upon" is from 1590s.

The grammatical sense "nominative of a verb" is recorded from 1630s, from Latin subjectum "grammatical subject," noun use of the neuter of the Latin past participle.

Likewise some restricted uses in logic and philosophy are borrowed directly from Latin subjectum as "foundation or subject of a proposition," a loan-translation of Aristotle's to hypokeimenon. In logic, "that about which a judgment is made, that term of a proposition of which the other is affirmed or denied" (1550s).

The meaning "subject matter of an art or science" is attested from 1540s, probably short for subject matter (late 14c.), which is from Medieval Latin subjecta materia, a loan translation of Greek hypokeimene hylē (Aristotle), literally "that which lies beneath."

By 1580s as "theme of a literary composition." By 1833 as "person present for medical or surgical treatment."

[S]trictly in rhetoric, and more often in general use, subject is the broad word for anything written or spoken about, while theme is the word for the exact and generally narrower statement of the subject. A topic is a still narrower subject; there may be several interesting topics suggested under a single subject. [Century Dictionary]

suggest(v.)

1520s, "place before another's mind; put forward a proposition," from Latin suggestus, past participle of suggerere "bring up, bring under, lay beneath; furnish, afford, supply; prompt" (see suggestion).

The meaning "act so as to call up the idea of (something else); introduce to another's mind by indirect association" is from 1709. It also had a bad sense, "seduce, tempt away from" (1580s). Related: Suggested; suggesting.