I.a sprout, shoot, offshoot, twig, spray: “suboles ab olescendo, id est crescendo, ut adulescentes quoque et adultae et indoles dicitur,” Fest. p. 309 Müll.
I. Lit. (very rare; “syn. surculus), of plants: ulmum serere ex subolibus,” Col. 5, 6, 2: “caepa, quae non habuit suboles adhaerentes,” id. 12, 10; Plin. 17, 10, 12, § 65 et saep. —Of the hair: ex subolibus parvuli (capilli) demittebantur, Varr. ap. Non. 456, 7: “cum capillus frequenti subole cumulat verticem,” App. M. 2, p. 218, 36.—
II. Transf., of men and beasts, offspring, progeny, posterity, issue, stock, race, lineage (class.; mostly poet.; cf. Cic. de Or. 3, 38, 153; “syn.: proles, progenies): censores populi aevitates, suboles, familias pecuniasque censento,” Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 7: “propagatio et suboles,” id. Off. 1, 17, 54; Lucr. 4, 1232; cf.: “(rex Superum) subolem priori Dissimilem populo promittit origine mirā,” Ov. M. 1, 251: “cara deum suboles, magnum Jovis incrementum,” Verg. E. 4, 49: “hem subolem sis vide!” Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 102: “suboles juventutis,” Cic. Phil. 2, 22, 54: robur et suboles militum interiit, Pollio ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 1: “milites, favete nomini Scipionum, suboli imperatorum vestrorum,” Liv. 26, 41, 22: “fortunati patris matura suboles,” id. 40, 6: “stirpis,” id. 39, 24: “si qua mihi de te suscepta fuisset Ante fugam suboles,” Verg. A. 4, 328: “diva (Lucina), producas subolem,” Hor. C. S. 17: “Romae suboles,” the race of Rome, id. C. 4, 3, 14: “Archytae,” Prop. 4 (5), 1, 77. “Sarmatae, Medorum suboles,” Plin. 6, 7, 7, § 19: “haec suboles nomen habuit Epigoni,” Just. 12, 4, 11: “stirpem regiae subolis delere,” id. 16, 1, 15. —Of the gods: “per suboles subolum multiplicata semper innumerabilitas ampliatur,” Arn. 3, 9 Hildebr.—Of beasts: “lascivi suboles gregis,” Hor. C. 3, 13, 8: “capellae,” Col. 7, 6, 8: “armentorum,” Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 31.