subculture

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

See synonyms for subculture on Thesaurus.com

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.
- the cultural values and behavioral patterns distinctive of a particular group in a society.
- a group having social, economic, ethnic, or other traits distinctive enough to distinguish it from others within the same culture or society.

Origin of subculture

First recorded in 1895–1900; sub- + culture

Other words from subculture

sub·cul·tur·al, adjective
sub·cul·tur·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use subculture in a sentence

For the Caucasian minority in prison, white supremacy is still the sub-culture of choice.
A Jewish Ex-Con Recalls Keeping Kosher with the Faithful in Prison | Daniel Genis | May 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
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
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

British Dictionary definitions for subculture

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 forms of subculture

subcultural, 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

Cultural definitions for subculture

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.)

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