subculture

noun

sub·​cul·​ture ˈsəb-ˌkəl-chər 

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, 

-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

Like cannabis before it, microdosing has moved out of the corners of niche subculture into the wellness mainstream. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Aug. 2026

Badly in Love manages to break through because the cast of men and women looking for true love are from the Japanese yankii subculture—juvenile delinquents, motorcycle gangsters, troubled women, and more. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 July 2026

First, brands rented the publisher, building bespoke magazines for hyper-specific interests engineered to be trusted by a subculture so the product could ride in on that trust. — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Detective Agent Derek is billed as a prestige cop show filtered through the internet’s weirdest subcultures. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for subculture

• agriculture
• apiculture
• aquaculture
• counterculture
• floriculture
• horticulture
• mariculture
• monoculture
• sericulture
• silviculture
• viticulture
• arboriculture

Medical Definition

subculture

1 of 2 noun

sub·​cul·​ture ˈsəb-ˌkəl-chər 

1

: a culture (as of bacteria) derived from another culture

2

: an act or instance of producing a subculture

subcultural

-ˈkəlch-(ə-)rəl 

adjective

subculturally

-ē 

adverb

subculture

2 of 2 transitive verb

subcultured; subculturing

: to culture (as bacteria) anew on a fresh medium by inoculation from an older culture