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definitions

subculture

[verb suhb-kuhl-cher; noun suhb-kuhl-cher]
|

verb (used with object), sub·cul·tured, sub·cul·tur·ing.

Bacteriology. to cultivate (a bacterial strain) again on a new medium.

noun

Bacteriology. a culture derived in this manner.
Sociology.
  1. the cultural values and behavioral patterns distinctive of a particular group in a society.
  2. a group having social, economic, ethnic, or other traits distinctive enough to distinguish it from others within the same culture or society.

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Nearby words

  1. subcostal plane,
  2. subcover,
  3. subcrepitant,
  4. subcritical,
  5. subcrustal,
  6. subcurrent,
  7. subcutaneous,
  8. subcutaneous emphysema,
  9. subcutaneous fat necrosis of newborn,
  10. subcutaneous flap

Origin of subculture

First recorded in 1895–1900; sub- + culture
Related formssub·cul·tur·al, adjectivesub·cul·tur·al·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sub-culture

  • Of the four sub-culture areas noted by Kroeber the central group is the most extensive and typical.

    Man, Past and Present|Agustus Henry Keane

  • Newly found materialism brought these territories a malignant form of capitalism coupled with a sub-culture of drugs and crime.

    After the Rain|Sam Vaknin
British Dictionary definitions for sub-culture

subculture

noun (ˈsʌbˌkʌltʃə)

a subdivision of a national culture or an enclave within it with a distinct integrated network of behaviour, beliefs, and attitudes
a culture of microorganisms derived from another culture

verb (sʌbˈkʌltʃə)

(tr) to inoculate (bacteria from one culture medium) onto another medium
Derived Formssubcultural, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for sub-culture

subculture

n.

1886, in reference to bacterial cultures, from sub- + culture (n.). From 1936 in reference to human cultures.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for sub-culture

subculture

[sŭb′kŭl′chər]

n.

A culture made by transferring to a fresh medium microorganisms from a previous culture.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Culture definitions for sub-culture

subculture

A group within a society that has its own shared set of customs, attitudes, and values, often accompanied by jargon or slang. A subculture can be organized around a common activity, occupation, age, status, ethnic background, race, religion, or any other unifying social condition, but the term is often used to describe deviant groups, such as thieves and drug users. (See counterculture.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.