subfield

noun

sub·​field ˈsəb-ˌfēld How to pronounce subfield (audio)
1
: a subset of a mathematical field that is itself a field
2
: a subdivision of a field (as of study)

Examples of subfield in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The aim of the subfield of social robotics called socially assistive robotics is to interact with ever more diverse groups of people. Mark Paterson, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2024 Desmond himself has built an entire academic career out of documenting the causes and extent of poverty, part of a professional subfield that didn’t exist when Harrington wrote The Other America. Kim Phillips-Fein, The New Republic, 28 Aug. 2023 In the subfield of theoretical computer science called complexity theory, researchers try to pin down how easily computers can solve various types of problems. Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2023 Their efforts to answer such inward-looking questions have blossomed into a subfield, called meta-complexity, which has provided the greatest insights into the question yet. Quanta Magazine, 20 Dec. 2023 Ruth Benedict and Visual Anthropology Her approach developed into a subfield of anthropology — visual anthropology. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2023 The first person to harness this power was Georg Cantor, the founder of the mathematical subfield of set theory. WIRED, 29 Oct. 2023 Ford says the nonprofit uses machine learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, to analyze texts and notes in order to determine sentiment or emotional tone, such as anger or desperation. Em Nguyen, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2023 Converse theorems form a flourishing subfield of the theory of elliptic curves, so the trio turned to two of the subfield’s expert practitioners — Ashay Burungale of the University of Texas, Austin and of Princeton. Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 29 Nov. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subfield.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of subfield was in 1894

Dictionary Entries Near subfield

Cite this Entry

“Subfield.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subfield. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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