sub-

under; up from under; subordinate or lesser

Forms

sub-
suc- — Used before c in Latin.
suf- — Used before f in Latin.
sug- — Used before g in Latin.
sum- — Used before m in Latin.
sup- — Used before p in Latin.
sur- — Used before r in Latin.
su- — Used before s in some Latin compounds.
sus- — A historical Latin variant associated with the longer form subs-.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *upo, ‘under; up from below.’

Note

An upward action can start underneath something, so ‘under’ and ‘up’ need not conflict.

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verb

To sign up to receive or access something regularly.

I subscribe to the local newspaper for its community coverage.

Etymology

subLatinunder; up from under; subordinate or lesser

+scribeLatinwrite

The older action is writing one’s name underneath an agreement. Subscription developed from that signed commitment into arranging regular receipt or access.

More examples

She subscribes to a weekly gardening newsletter.
We subscribed to a streaming service last month.
Before subscribing, check how much the service costs.

Forms

subscribe · subscribes · subscribed · subscribing

subscription noun — An arrangement for regular receipt or access.

subscriber noun — Someone signed up for regular receipt or access.

Similar words

register: Emphasizes recording your details, not necessarily receiving something regularly.
enroll: Usually means joining a course or program, rather than receiving content.