subgenre

noun

sub·​genre ˈsəb-ˌzhän-rə 

-ˌzhäⁿ-;

-ˌzhäⁿr;

-ˌjän-rə

variants or less commonly sub-genre

plural subgenres also sub-genres

: a genre that is part of a larger genre

The series is part of the booming "urban fantasy" subgenre, which features supernatural creatures interacting with ordinary humans in a contemporary city.

—Jennifer Schuessler

Examples of subgenre in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The film falls under supernatural horror, one of the 24 thriving subgenres identified in a Blumhouse study conducted with Sage Outcomes, which surveyed over 2,000 horror fans and experts, as discussed at the company’s inaugural Business of Fear event. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 June 2025

Plot details are being kept in the basement, but it is described as a thriller skulking around in the subterranean horror subgenre. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025

There’s so—like, that’s the category, but there are so many subgenres under that. —Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

This subgenre stands out for its socially, politically, and spiritually charged lyrics and themes rooted in Afrocentricism. —Ime Ekpo, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above