subset

noun

sub·​set ˈsəb-ˌset How to pronounce subset (audio)
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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Within that rarefied subset, only a handful were RS variants. Sean Evans, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2024 Not always, of course; like any subset of humanity, churches are just as likely to be filled with iniquity, pettiness, and spite. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024 Other tools, including bill status, invoices, projects, reports, and time tracking, provide good subsets of the website’s capabilities. PCMAG, 23 Oct. 2024 Instead, the fraud detection efforts rely on machine learning, the subset of AI that excels at analyzing vast amounts of data, and making decisions and predictions based on what it’s learned. Matt Egan, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for subset 

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of subset was in 1881

Dictionary Entries Near subset

Cite this Entry

“Subset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subset. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

subset

noun
sub·​set ˈsəb-ˌset How to pronounce subset (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on subset

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