subfamily

[ suhb-fam-uh-lee, -fam-lee, suhb-fam-uh-lee, -fam-lee ]

noun

, plural sub·fam·i·lies.

1. Biology. a category of related genera within a family.
2. Linguistics. (in the classification of related languages within a family) a category of a higher order than a branch. Compare branch ( def 8 ), family ( def 16 ).

subfamily

/ ˈsʌbˌfæmɪlɪ /

noun

1. biology a taxonomic group that is a subdivision of a family
2. any analogous subdivision, as of a family of languages

subfamily

/ sŭb′făm′ə-lē /

1. A subdivision of a family of organisms, containing one or more genera. The names of subfamilies in the animal kingdom typically end in –inae, as in Cerambycinae, a subfamily of the longhorn beetle family Cerambycidae.

Word History and Origins

Origin of subfamily¹

First recorded in 1825–35; sub- + family

Example Sentences

The subfamilies are major subdivisions of the family, while the tribes and subtribe can contain one or more of genera, which is the classification level just above the species.

From Science Daily

Kane hopes that the vaccine strategy his team identified can be applied to other viruses -- other coronavirus subfamilies as well as other viruses such as influenza viruses.

From Science Daily

This subfamily of snakes is usually harmless to humans and survives on a wide range of foods -- from larger creatures like birds, lizards and frogs to smaller, slimier prey like frog eggs, worms and slugs.

From Science Daily

Even the assignment to the subfamily Larentiinae is not entirely secure and is based on a few features like wing venation.

From Science Daily

Horticulturist Qiang Xu of Huazhong Agricultural University in China and his colleagues recently set out to map the evolutionary journey of the orange subfamily.

From Scientific American