subclass

noun sub·class \ ˈsəb-ˌklas \

Updated on: 31 Mar 2018

Definition of subclass

: a primary division of a class: such as

a : a category in biological classification ranking below a class and above an order

b : subset 1

Recent Examples of subclass from the Web

But one subclass of the 3,000 or so satellites swarming around Earth is particularly useful: the 400 that pirouette around the planet at roughly 22,000 miles above the equator.

— NBC News, "Alien satellites might offer a new way to find E.T.," 19 Mar. 2018
Destiny 1 launched with only two subclasses before eventually opening a third one up via expansions.

— sam machkovech, Ars Technica, "Already, Destiny 2 understands its fate, its purpose, its desti… you know," 5 Sep. 2017
The district court granted certification to two subclasses but denied the remaining three.

— fatima hussein, Indianapolis Star, "Sheriff's Office under more scrutiny for release times," 23 June 2017
They were instead categorized as an impoverished subclass of the Han majority, and the government began to move them onshore and put their children in schools.

— chris buckley and adam wu, New York Times, "In China, an Ancient People Watch Their Floating Life Dissolve," 23 Jan. 2017
But, with its ever-expanding system of subclasses and legroom fees, is there any better symbol of our self-sorting tendencies?

— lizzie widdicombe, The New Yorker, "J.F.K.’s New Animal Terminal," 23 Jan. 2017
A certain sub-sub-subclass of supernova explosions , known as Type 1a, has two useful characteristics.

— paul sutter astrophysicist, Fox News, "Does dark energy exist?," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subclass.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of subclass

1720

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

subclass

noun sub·class \ ˈsəb-ˌklas \

medical Definition of subclass

: a category in biological classification ranking below a class and above an order

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subclass

Definition of subclass

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First Known Use of subclass

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subclass

medical Definition of subclass

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subclass

Definition of subclass

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