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subgenre

American  
[suhb-zhahn-ruh, -zhahn-ruh] / ˈsʌbˌʒɑn rə, -ˌʒɑ̃ rə /

noun

  1. a lesser or subordinate genre.

    a subgenre of popular fiction.


subgenre British  
/ ˈsʌbˌʒɑːnrə /

noun

  1. a category that is a subdivision of a larger genre

"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

Etymology

Origin of subgenre

sub- + genre


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:

Playing a fast style mixed with Lant's dark imagery and lyrics, the album gave its name to an entire subgenre and influenced bands on both sides of the Atlantic.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

They’ve championed the resurgence of norteño-sax, a subgenre that fuses the accordion sounds of norteño music with an invigorating alto saxophone, made popular by legendary groups like Conjunto Primavera.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

The louche but witty “Murder at the Hotel Orient” seems to occupy a subgenre all its own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

In revisiting his cherished alien subgenre for the fourth time with “Disclosure Day,” Spielberg returns to where his career started, scraping away the classic marks of extraterrestrial intrigue and replacing them with human counterpoints.

From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026

And there is a whole subgenre of ancestor research—sons and daughters flying to New York clutching scrapbooks, tracking down letters of indenture, photographs, birth certificates.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

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