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

That set would go on to become not just one of the most famous by the outfit, but one of the most important titles in the rock subgenre. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Odenkirk’s perpetual mask of confusion speaks both to this character’s inability to find contentment in the world and to these movies’ quaint status as the last vestiges of a once-thriving subgenre. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025

The rustic pop-indie folk subgenre that dominated the early to mid-2010s has always been a controversial moment in music history, best defined by its anthemic, often percussion-heavy sound made famous by The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and Of Monsters and Men. —Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2025

Osgood Perkins is getting into the relationship-horror film subgenre. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above