subplot

American  

[suhb-plot] / ˈsʌbˌplɒt /

noun

1. a secondary or subordinate plot, as in a play, novel, or other literary work; underplot.

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subplot British  

/ ˈsʌbˌplɒt /

noun

1. a subordinate or auxiliary plot in a novel, play, film, etc

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Etymology

Origin of subplot

First recorded in 1915–20; sub- + plot

Example Sentences

Safdie even concocts a subplot in which he invents his signature orange ball solely so he can wear all-white like the posh jocks of Wimbledon.

From Los Angeles Times

Buried within Warner Bros Discovery is TNT Sports, which provides an intriguing subplot in an acrimonious battle for some of the world's top TV shows and movies.

From BBC

That subplot has commercial potential, have you considered making it a mystery about a missing woman?

From Los Angeles Times

That jarring digression will gradually morph into a crucial subplot, allowing Mendonça Filho to build a thematic bridge between then and now.

From Los Angeles Times

But whether he, or his Japanese Dodgers teammates, will pitch in the tournament will remain a subplot as the offseason progresses.

From Los Angeles Times