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
Examples of subculture in a Sentence
a subculture of local painters
a subculture of poverty and crime
Recent Examples on the Web
Adams said that folk etymology, when people coalesce around a subculture, can happen with slang words.
—
Ava Berger, NPR, 28 May 2026
There seems to be a crazy subculture growing around these unless Instagram is just feeding my chicken content with the algo.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
While the ecommerce ecosystem remains dominated by giants like Amazon, smaller resellers have formed something of a subculture that, despite originally being little more than a side hustle, has become notably competitive.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 26 May 2026
German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, known for his work documenting European subcultures, has been named the winner of the 2026 Roswitha Haftmann Prize.
—News Desk, Artforum, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for subculture
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Ava Berger, NPR, 28 May 2026
There seems to be a crazy subculture growing around these unless Instagram is just feeding my chicken content with the algo.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
While the ecommerce ecosystem remains dominated by giants like Amazon, smaller resellers have formed something of a subculture that, despite originally being little more than a side hustle, has become notably competitive.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 26 May 2026
German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, known for his work documenting European subcultures, has been named the winner of the 2026 Roswitha Haftmann Prize.
—News Desk, Artforum, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for subculture
Cite this Entry
“Subculture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subculture. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical 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
subculture
2 of 2 transitive verb
subcultured; subculturing
: to culture (as bacteria) anew on a fresh medium by inoculation from an older culture
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