subculture

noun

sub·​cul·​ture ˈsəb-ˌkəl-chər How to pronounce subculture (audio)
1
a
: a culture (as of bacteria) derived from another culture
b
: an act or instance of producing a subculture
2
: an ethnic, regional, economic, or social group exhibiting characteristic patterns of behavior sufficient to distinguish it from others within an embracing culture or society
a criminal subculture
subcultural
ˌsəb-ˈkəlch-rəl How to pronounce subculture (audio)
-ˈkəl-chə-
adjective
subculturally adverb
subculture transitive verb

Examples of subculture in a Sentence

a subculture of local painters a subculture of poverty and crime
Recent Examples on the Web Online, Illenium has become something of a symbol for a distinctive modern Asian American subculture that is regularly identified through references to boba, K-pop and Korean streetwear, gaming, and of course, raves. Steffi Cao, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2024 Bird After dipping into documentary (Cow), television (Transparent, Big Little Lies) and U.S. youth subculture (American Honey), Andrea Arnold’s new feature appears to be a return to the Brit kitchen-sink realism of her breakout works Red Road and Fish Tank. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for subculture 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subculture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of subculture was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near subculture

Cite this Entry

“Subculture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subculture. Accessed 31 May. 2024.

Medical Definition

subculture

1 of 2 noun
sub·​cul·​ture ˈsəb-ˌkəl-chər How to pronounce subculture (audio)
1
: a culture (as of bacteria) derived from another culture
2
: an act or instance of producing a subculture
subcultural adjective
subculturally adverb

subculture

2 of 2 transitive verb
subcultured; subculturing
: to culture (as bacteria) anew on a fresh medium by inoculation from an older culture
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!