1. a clause or phrase that functions as a component within a larger sentence
Usage: linguistics

Examples

• The subsentence ‘when it rains’ cannot stand alone as a complete thought.
• In complex sentences, subsentences often begin with subordinating conjunctions.
• The teacher explained how to identify the main clause and subsentences in the paragraph.
• Each subsentence in the compound-complex sentence served a different grammatical function.
• Students struggled to parse the multiple subsentences embedded in the lengthy sentence.