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

The 60-foot geodesic dome provided a place for people to cool down and take in breakbeats, dubstep and, eventually, other electronic subgenres. —Niyaz Pirani, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026

For all its talk of shocking Gen-Z specificity, Levinson’s TV show has also ushered its mostly teen cast into adulthood without answering many questions that are key to the coming-of-age subgenre. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026

Call this unfortunate, emerging subgenre the anti-coming-of-age story. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026

Since around 2022 after the post-pandemic crossover of South African music genres, DJs have infused African sonic elements into house music, a subgenre of electronic dance music that has been a choice for raves in Lagos. —ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above