subdistrict

[ suhb-dis-trikt ]

noun

1. a division of a district.

verb (used with object)

1. to divide into subdistricts.

subdistrict

/ ˈsʌbˌdɪstrɪkt /

noun

1. 1. a smaller part of a larger area marked off for administrative or other purposes
   2. ( as modifier )

      subdistrict regional police

Word History and Origins

Origin of subdistrict¹

First recorded in 1810–20; sub- + district

Example Sentences

Turtle Mountain didn’t ask the Legislature for a subdistrict; Spirit Lake did and was denied, according to attorney Tim Purdon.

From Seattle Times

In 2001, after getting master's degrees in ecology and evolutionary biology, I found myself living in the Junnar subdistrict, a rural area full of sugarcane fields.

From Scientific American

The group of 184, including women and children, arrived by fishing boat at Kuala Matang Peulawi, a coastal area in Peureulak subdistrict in East Aceh.

From Seattle Times

He called Anurak Prompong, a friend who worked at the subdistrict office.

From New York Times

“Mom, there’s a shooting at the subdistrict office. Can you go there urgently?” she recalled her 29-year-old daughter saying.

From New York Times

More About Subdistrict

What is a subdistrict?

A subdistrict is a division of any geographic area referred to as a district.

A district and its subdistricts may be created to manage many different things. For example, a city may be divided into districts and subdistricts for the purposes of managing schools and sports, collecting taxes, and electing representatives at a city or state level.

To subdistrict is to divide a district into smaller areas that are all managed or run by that district, as in Our state now has so many soccer teams that it has had to subdistrict all its districts in order to manage games and create a championship series.

Example: The eastern-most subdistrict in the county is severely underfunded and lacks community support.

Where does subdistrict come from?

The first records of the term subdistrict come from around the 1810s. It combines the prefix sub-,  meaning “secondary,” and district, meaning “a division of a geographic region marked off in order to manage or run it.”

Any organization or organizing body that conducts operations in terms of districts can have subdistricts that serve various purposes. A common example of this is public schooling and education, which operates within school districts. In places with higher populations that feature several elementary or high schools, the districts are sometimes broken up into subdistricts to better organize and manage staff and resources.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for subdistrict?

• department
• division
• sector
• segment

What are some words that share a root or word element with subdistrict? 

• district
• subdivision

What are some words that often get used in discussing subdistrict?

• election
• funding
• representative

How is subdistrict used in real life?

Subdistrict is commonly used to refer to official areas within a district.

UPSET! Norris defeats Waverly 37-36 in Girls Subdistrict Semifinal. Shot at buzzer rims out for Vikings. Titans knock out top-seeded on their home floor. #nebpreps

— Kevin Sjuts (@kevinsjuts) February 13, 2018

Amy Dunn Johnson (N) files for Circuit Judge, District 06, Division 15, Subdistrict 6.2. #ARvote

— John Thurston (@ARSecofState) November 4, 2019

10 Sports-NU MBB defeats Maryland 70-66-we'll have highlights and reaction, Creighton MBB score, girls high school subdistrict highlights, news and notes

— Channel 8 KLKN-TV (@Channel8ABC) February 14, 2018

Try using subdistrict!

Is subdistrict used correctly in the following sentence?

The city will subdistrict its schools to better organize staff and resources.