subfamily

subfamily Definition

sub·fam·ily (sub′fam′ə lē, -fam′lē)

noun pl. subfamilies -·lies

any main natural subdivision of a family of plants or animals
a major division of a language family, above a branch the Balto-Slavic subfamily of Indo-European languages

subfamily Usage Examples

Preposition: of

family: It is classified within the Northern Branch of the West Atlantic subfamily of the Niger-Congo language family.

Adjective modifier

separate: That is an entirely separate subfamily to the one which the Hindi and Urdu languages of India and Pakistan belong.

Modifies a noun

level: The database is searchable by gene name, or by kinase classification at the group, family or subfamily level.
papilionoideae: Evolutionary Development We are currently investigating the genetic control of floral morphology in the subfamily Papilionoideae.
comparison: Family trees and subfamily sequence comparisons reveal the evolutionary relationships among receptors.
sequence: Family trees and subfamily sequence comparisons reveal the evolutionary relationships among receptors.

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