The breakdown of “submontane” is easy to understand. “Sub-” as a prefix generally means “under” or “beneath”; “montane” is less common, but it’s used to describe things having to do with mountainous areas. As such, “submontane” means “under mountains” or more commonly, “situated in the foothills or lower slopes of a mountain range.” Submontane areas are very popular places to live, giving people easy access to skiing, hiking, and other outdoor recreation.