English

subspecific

From sub- + specific.

A compound of sub- + specific

Proto-Indo-European *upó ‘up; from below’

Proto-Italic *supo ‘under’

Latin sub ‘under, beneath, below’

English sub-

Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- ‘to see’

…

Latin speciō ‘to see’

Latin speciēs ‘kind’

Late Latin specificus ‘specific’

Old French specifique

Today it means

adj pertaining to a subspecies. (See Usage notes.)

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / subspecific