subnival

Meanings

1. Of a habitat: of an altitude, latitude, or type just below that which would be permanently covered by snow (the snow line).
2. Growing or capable of growing, or occurring, underneath snow; subnivean.

Etymology

PIE word *upó From sub- (prefix meaning ‘beneath, under’) + nival (“abounding with snow; snow-covered, snowy; found or thriving in snowy conditions”), borrowed from German subnival, from Late Latin subnivalis, from Latin sub- (prefix meaning ‘beneath, under’) + nivālis (“snow-covered; snowy”) (from nix (“snow”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sneygʷʰ- (“to snow”)) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship)).