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

Explanation

A secondary story in a book or movie, rather than the central narrative, is its subplot. Romeo and Juliet focuses on the main characters' love, but one of its many subplots is the rivalry between Mercutio and Tybalt. You can think of a subplot as a side story, something that seems a bit less important than the main plot but usually ties into it in some way. Almost all fiction has at least one subplot, from Inigo Montoya's desire for revenge in The Princess Bride to the comedic interactions of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Shakespeare's Hamlet. This literary term adds the prefix sub-, "under" or "smaller," to plot, "the main events of a story."

Example Sentences

One subplot heavily relies on children’s nursery rhymes and playing them backwards to find hidden messages embedded in their melodies.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Season 4, however, has turned the salmon from a background indulgence into a full-blown subplot.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

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 • Dec. 23, 2025

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 • Dec. 5, 2025

A character policeman, a comedy jury foreman, and a subplot of love story between the character policeman and an Irish cook had been "written in."

From Star-Dust by Hurst, Fannie