Definition

Referring to a dosage that is lower than what is needed to effectively treat a disease or condition.

Example

The doctor prescribed a subtherapeutic dose of the medication to avoid side effects.

Conversation

Did you hear about the subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in livestock?

Yeah, it's surprising how often that happens without us knowing.

I wonder if it affects the quality of the meat we eat.

It could! We should definitely pay more attention to what we buy.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Subtherapeutic → It is formed from "sub-" (meaning under or below) and "therapeutic" (from Greek "therapeutikos", meaning relating to treatment or healing). The word "subtherapeutic" refers to a level of treatment that is below the effective therapeutic range.

Memory Tip

Think of 'sub-' meaning 'under' and 'therapeutic' relating to 'treatment' — so subtherapeutic means a treatment level that is under what is needed.

Visually Confused Words