subculture

noun

sub·cul·ture | \ ˈsəb-ˌkəl-chər

Definition of subculture

1a : 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

Other Words from subculture More Example Sentences Learn More about subculture

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Other words from subculture

subcultural \ˌsəb-ˈkəlch-rəl,

-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

Plus, as anyone who’s spent time in them discovers, nerd subcultures can be some of the most toxic places in existence. — Simon Abrams, The Hollywood Reporter, "Dissecting 'Ready Player One' and Its Biggest Problem," 1 Apr. 2018 Like some real-life martial artists, gamers in this subculture often look on tournaments as corruptions of their art that prioritize victory over mastery. — Chris Goto-jones, The Atlantic, "Practicing for Enlightenment With Video Games," 27 Mar. 2018 No one was getting any money then, so these guys were risking their lives to get their name out into the subculture. — Cole Louison, GQ, "Agenda Trade Show Founder Aaron Levant's Long, Strange Trip," 3 Apr. 2018 The tour, which melded ska, punk, skating and other DIY subcultures in a wave of camaraderie, volume and sweat, has been going every summer since 1995. — John Adamian, courant.com, "Britney Spears, Tory Lanez, Kimya Dawson: Seven Concert Highlights," 7 July 2018 What to watch Paris is Burning is Jennie Livingston’s 1991 documentary about the subculture of black and Latinx gay men and transgender women who competed in drag balls in New York City in the late 1980s. — Noel Murray, The Verge, "Get ready for Ryan Murphy’s Pose by watching Paris is Burning this weekend," 1 June 2018 Matching tattoos have long been part of a fraternity subculture in the Sheriff’s Department, dating at least to 1971 with the Little Devils at the East Los Angeles station. — Joel Rubin, latimes.com, "After decades of problems, new allegations surface of a secret clique within L.A. County Sheriff's Department," 10 July 2018 And not just in the US—what started as a Southern California subculture is now a bona fide global phenomenon and will be an official Olympic sport for the first time in the 2020 Tokyo Games. — John Vorwald, GQ, "How Vans Got Everyone Wearing Vans Again," 4 May 2018 Worn by models like Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, and Penelope Tree, Quant's playful and subversive designs reached a generation ready to shun tradition and embrace its own subcultures and identities. — refinery29.com, "Mary Quant, Mini Skirt Purveyor, Is Being Honored With A Fashion Exhibit," 8 June 2018

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