submersible
submersible Lexical Profile
submersible Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Designed to be completely submerged or capable of operating while underwater.
"The contractor installed a heavy-duty submersible pump to drain the flooded basement."
• noun
A small watercraft designed to operate underwater, typically launched from a support ship and used for deep-sea oceanographic research, exploration, or salvage.
"Marine biologists descended into the oceanic trench aboard a specially equipped research submersible."
Word Nuance & Usage
In marine engineering, a 'submersible' is distinguished from a 'submarine' by its reliance on a support vessel or platform for transport, power recharging, and replenishment, whereas a submarine can operate fully independently.
• Rhymes for submersible
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 19th century, formed from the Latin past participle stem 'submers-' (from 'submergere', meaning 'to plunge under') and the suffix '-ible'.