subset

American  

[suhb-set] / ˈsʌbˌsɛt /

noun

• subsets
  plural

1. a set that is a part of a larger set.

2. Mathematics. a set consisting of elements of a given set that can be the same as the given set or smaller.

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subset British  

/ ˈsʌbˌsɛt /

noun

1. maths

   1. a set the members of which are all members of some given class: A is a subset of B is usually written A⊆B

   2. A⊂B. one that is strictly contained within a larger class and excludes some of its members

2. a set within a larger set

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subset Scientific  

/ sŭb′sĕt′ /

1. A set whose members are all contained in another set. The set of positive integers, for example, is a subset of the set of integers.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• subsets
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of subset

First recorded in 1900–05; sub- + set

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Explanation

Use the noun subset when you're talking about a group of things that fit in a larger category. For example, "new horror films" or "new comedies" are subsets of "new movies." You can use the word subset any time you refer to small sets within larger ones, whether you're talking about Halloween candy, greeting cards, or classmates. However, the most common use of subset happens in mathematics, which is where the word comes from originally. Subset is short for "subordinate set," or a set that is entirely contained inside another set — it's subordinate, less important or smaller.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

subset subsets

The Social Security Administration uses a formula that’s tied to a subset of the Consumer Price Index to calculate the cost of living change each year.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

Logan’s office said Tuesday that a preliminary analysis of a subset of the administration’s list found many were born in the U.S., weren’t registered or had never voted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

When scientists examined brain tissue collected after death from a subset of participants, they discovered a striking pattern.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

"We want to have some subset of goods that we can trade with the Chinese on a more preferential basis," he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

“The truck offers a subset of the day’s drive-in menu.”

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

There are various ways to invest along with the index or to try to outperform it by applying factors to hold subsets of the S&P 500.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

Economists also look at different subsets of the CPI for a more nuanced picture of inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

He recognizes that terms like cure and functional cure could be applied in a carefully defined way in certain subsets of patients and be beneficial, but he’s just not ready to declare victory.

From Slate ● Mar. 29, 2026

There are a few more hoops to jump through when using NordVPN because they have subsets of servers dedicated to P2P and obfuscation.

From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2026

This insight has since been applied upward to the stars, and sideways to many subsets of the human family, with great success and invariable opposition.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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