subgenre

noun

sub·​genre ˈsəb-ˌzhän-rə How to pronounce subgenre (audio)
-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
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Their signature style is a clear subgenre of cumbia that blends hypnotic tropical rhythms with the rawness of the traditional Amazonian sounds, infused with psychedelic undertones. Pamela Bustios, Billboard, 21 Apr. 2025 The influencer exposé is now a true-crime subgenre unto itself, and Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke—a new Hulu docuseries about the Frankes released at the end of February—is not the first public account of this one family’s ordeal. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025 The subgenre limning the heights and depths of American power runs from Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove to the Coen brothers’ Burn After Reading. Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025 Competition is less fierce when tallies are hyper-focused on one subgenre, and that’s where AC/DC has really been able to shine. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for subgenre

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subgenre was in 1903

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Cite this Entry

“Subgenre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subgenre. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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