deep cut

noun

plural deep cuts

1

music : a song that is considerably less popular and well-known than other songs on the same album or by the same artist

From there, the band careened through highlights and the occasional deep cut from its catalog …

—Mikael Wood

But the rocker saw an opportunity to turn casual fans on to his deep cuts—so each disc intersperses hits with lesser-known album tracks in non-chronological order.

—David Browne

2

: something (such as an obscure reference to a book or movie) that is recognizable to devotees but not usually to others

One of the fun things about being a Marvel fan is the franchise's ability to constantly surprise its audience with comic book deep cuts, surprising castings, and twists that no one sees coming.

—Alexis Nedd

deep-cut adjective

a deep-cut reference/joke

Examples of deep cut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The contract comes while Musk is leading efforts to make deep cuts in federal government spending, including staffing cuts at the FAA, and some critics are raising questions about conflicts of interest over his role overseeing government agencies that are supposed to be regulating his businesses. —Chris Isidore, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025

The House blueprint calls for legislation that would add roughly $3 trillion to the deficit over a decade, while teeing up deep cuts in spending on health care and food programs for low-income people. —Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025

Details have not been released, but these reductions will result in deep cuts to Medicaid funding. —Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025

One of the passengers suffered a broken clavicle, multiple spinal fractures, and deep cuts on her right eye and right side of her head. —Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for deep cut

• abut
• catgut
• chesnut
• chestnut
• donut
• doughnut
• groundnut
• haircut
• hindgut
• midgut
• precut
• rebut