sublet
sublet Lexical Profile
sublet Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To lease or rent all or part of a rented property to another person while remaining the primary tenant under the original lease.
"Because his internship was in another state, he decided to sublet his bedroom for three months."
North American To rent and occupy a property from an existing tenant rather than directly from the landlord.
"We plan to sublet an apartment in the city for the summer before signing a year-long lease."
To subcontract a portion of work under a primary contract to another person or company.
"The main construction firm decided to sublet the electrical wiring and plumbing work to local specialists."
• noun
A lease of a property by an existing tenant to a subtenant, or the property rented under such an arrangement.
"She found a furnished summer sublet near the university campus while the regular tenant was studying abroad."
Word Nuance & Usage
The verb "sublet" is used both for renting out one's leased property to a third party ("I sublet my apartment to a friend") and, especially in North American English, for renting such a property from the original tenant ("I sublet an apartment from a friend").
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 19th century by combining the Latin prefix sub- (meaning "under" or "secondary") with the English verb let (from Old English lætan, used in the sense of leasing property).