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

With Secret Love, Dry Cleaning find a perfect game-recognize-game accomplice in Welsh indie auteur Cate Le Bon, who’s become not just an in-demand producer, but practically a subgenre unto herself, attracting like-minded practitioners of off-kilter, observational art-pop into her orbit. —Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 9 Jan. 2026

Romance was one of the top genres of 2025, according to Everand’s recent State of Reading Report, with subgenres like cowboy romance, romantasy and regency angst also pulling devoted fanbases. —Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026

The San Bernardino band is a pioneer of the subgenre, which blends the traditional instrumentation of Mexican folk balladry with elements of American trap music, namely its beats and the gritty lyrical content that deals with matters of moving contraband, turf wars and endless hustle. —Andrea Flores jan. 8, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026

Independent film has been declared dead often enough to qualify as a horror subgenre. —Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above