subset

noun

sub·​set ˈsəb-ˌset 

1

: a set each of whose elements is an element of an inclusive set

2

: division, portion

a subset of our community

Examples of subset in a Sentence

The set {1,2,3} is a subset of the set {1,2,3,4,5}.

Only a small subset of the patients in the study experienced these side effects.

Recent Examples on the Web

For your summer reading pleasure, here is a selection of 41 new books to choose from, including ones by Wisconsin writers, with a subset of choices for children and teens. —Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 15 May 2024

But the whirl of life meant almost a decade would pass before my trip — a period during which Biarritz began exerting a pull over an ever-wider subset of travelers. —David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

subset

noun

sub·​set ˈsəb-ˌset 

: a mathematical set that is a part of another mathematical set

the set of even numbers is a subset of the set of all numbers