English
suboptimization
From sub- + optimization.
A compound of sub- + optimization
Proto-Indo-European *upó ‘up; from below’
Proto-Italic *supo ‘under’
Latin sub ‘under, beneath, below’
English sub-
Today it means
noun The optimization of a subunit (or series of subunits) of an organization without good coordination with other subunits, resulting in the whole organisation's outcome or output being less than optimal.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “suboptimization”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / suboptimization