Question

What is the meaning and historical background of the term 'subcontinent'?

Answer 1

The word continent is from the Latin "continens" meaning "continuous land." The prefix "sub-" means "less than." So subcontinent is a piece of land smaller than a continent. The term is usually only applied to the region around India or to Greenland.

Answer 2

A subcontinent is a large part of a continent. There is no agreement on what constitutes a subcontinent. Generally, however, a subcontinent is split from the rest of a continent by something like a mountain range or by tectonic plates. The phrase the Subcontinent, used on its own in English, commonly means the Indian subcontinent i.e. South Asia.. . See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcontinent