“+ adjective
Etymology: sub- + critical
1. : less or lower than critical in respect to a specified factor: as
a. of temperature : lower than that critical for the hardening of a metal
b. of a mass of fissionable material : of insufficient size to sustain a chain reaction
2.
a. : occurring at or involving the use of subcritical temperatures
subcritical annealing
b. : constituting or designed for use with fissionable material of subcritical mass
a subcritical reactor
storing fissionable material in subcritical chunks
• sub·critically “+ adverb