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subcurrent

American

[suhb-kur-uhnt, -kuhr-] / ˈsʌbˌkɜr ənt, -ˌkʌr- /

noun

a not clearly revealed or formulated direction of thought, intention, action, etc., underlying what is manifested.

His words, though ostensibly friendly, betrayed a subcurrent of hostility.

Etymology

Origin of subcurrent

First recorded in 1900–05; sub- + current

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

subcurrent

As a text, it hints at the subcurrent of popular culture that flows beneath our greatest literature.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 29, 2012

There was a subcurrent of excitement in her voice, and the night seemed to grow more still as she went on speaking.

From Sunlight Patch by Credo Fitch Harris

Baynell gave no outward and obvious sign of notice, but the subcurrent of brooding thought that occupied his mind was token of his evident comprehension and a nettled annoyance.

From The Storm Centre by Mary Noailles Murfree

I became interested and gradually took up with his speculation; for all my love of action I found that I had a strong subcurrent for the philosophical.

From The Blind Spot by Austin Hall

The Rhine—romantic, cultivated, artificial, with a rough subcurrent and a muddy bed—through Germany.

From The Sowers by Henry Seton Merriman

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023