subculture
subculture Lexical Profile
subculture Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A cultural group within a larger society, often having beliefs, interests, or styles that are distinct from those of the mainstream culture.
"The punk rock movement of the late 1970s quickly evolved into a vibrant youth subculture with its own fashion and values."
A new microbiological or cellular culture made by transferring cells, bacteria, or tissue from a previous culture to a fresh growth medium.
"The laboratory technician prepared a fresh subculture to keep the bacterial strain actively growing for further testing."
• verb
To transfer cells, tissues, or microorganisms from an existing culture to a fresh growth medium in order to prolong life or increase cell numbers.
"Researchers must subculture the stem cells every three days to prevent overcrowding in the petri dish."
Word Nuance & Usage
In sociology, a 'subculture' is distinct from a 'counterculture': while a subculture exists alongside and generally accepts the overarching framework of the dominant culture, a counterculture actively rejects and opposes mainstream societal norms.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 19th century as a microbiological term for a secondary bacterial culture, and later adopted by American sociologists in the 1930s and 1940s to describe distinct social groups within a larger society.