sublethal
English
Etymology
sub- + lethal
Adjective
sublethal (comparative more sublethal, superlative most sublethal)
- Less than lethal.
- a sublethal dose
- 2015 November 24, Patrick Barkham, “Pesticide may be reason butterfly numbers are falling in UK, says study”, in The Guardian:
- A US study published earlier this year found that dust emitted when seeds treated with neonicotinoids are planted causes sub-lethal effects in caterpillars of the monarch butterfly.