Definition

A type of low-growing plant that has a woody stem at the base but is not as tall as a regular shrub.

Example

The garden was filled with colorful flowers and various subshrubs that added texture to the landscape.

Conversation

Have you ever seen a subshrub in a garden?

Yeah, they add such nice texture to the landscape!

I really like how they stay low and are easy to manage.

Definitely! Plus, they can be quite colorful in bloom.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Subshrub → It is formed from "sub-" (meaning under or below) and "shrub" (from Old English "scrybb", meaning a woody plant). The word "subshrub" refers to a plant that is smaller than a shrub, typically having a woody base but not reaching the height of a full shrub.

Memory Tip

Think of a plant that is 'under' ('sub-') the height of a shrub — that's what a subshrub is.

Visually Confused Words