Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Nearby Words

subfamily

 - 5 dictionary results

sub⋅fam⋅i⋅ly

  [suhb-fam-uh-lee, -fam-lee, suhb-fam-uh-lee, -fam-lee]
Use subfamily in a Sentence
–noun, plural -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. 14).
Origin:
1825–35; sub- + family
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To subfamily
sub·fam·i·ly   (sŭb'fām'ə-lē)   
n.   pl. sub·fam·i·lies

  1. Biology A taxonomic category of related organisms ranking between a family and a genus.

  2. Linguistics A division of languages below a family and above a branch.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: sub·fam·i·ly
Pronunciation: 's&b-"fam-(&-)lE
Function: noun
: a category in biological classification ranking belowa family and above a genus
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

subfamily sub·fam·i·ly (sŭb'fām'ə-lē)
n.
A taxonomic category ranking between a family and a genus.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Science Dictionary
subfamily   (sŭb'fām'ə-lē)  Pronunciation Key 
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see subfamily on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way