subsample

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *upó

Proto-Italic *supo

Latin sub

Latin sub-der.

English sub-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ

Proto-Indo-European *-s

Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs

Proto-Italic *eks

Latin ex

Proto-Indo-European *h₁em-der.

Proto-Italic *emō

Latin emō

Latin eximō

Latin exemplumbor.

Old French essainplebor.

Middle English saumple

English sample

English subsample

From sub- + sample.

Noun

subsample (plural subsamples)

A smaller portion of an original sample, created by trimming, subdividing, splitting or discrete collection of the original sample.
(sciences) A portion of the original sample that is representative in nature to that of the original sample, thereby assuring equivalency in results from tests and analysis either upon the subsample or the original material, independent of their size.
- 2007 December 12, Kyle L. Gobrogge, S. Marc Breedlove, Kelly L. Klump, “Genetic and Environmental Influences on 2D:4D Finger Length Ratios: A Study of Monozygotic and Dizygotic Male and Female Twins”, in Archives of Sexual Behavior, volume 37, number 1, →DOI:
  A second rater scored a subsample of copies ( n = 36 copies of both hands) and achieved high interrater reliability on the 2D and 4D measurements as well as the 2D:4D ratio with the initial rater (all intraclass r s > .97).
- 2011 January 31, Anil K. Bera, Aurobindo Ghosh, Zhijie Xiao, “FRACTILES ON QUANTILE REGRESSION WITH APPLICATIONS”, in Mathematics Subject Classification‎^[1], archived from the original on 12 September 2025, page 2:
  Mahalanobis used a visual method of approximating the standard error of the income at all the fractiles of the covariate for the same graph by taking two independently selected "interpenetrating subsamples" and obtaining a graph for each of the subsamples besides the combined sample.
- 2024 October 27, Teddy Rosenbluth, “McDonald’s Says Tests Rule Out Beef Patties as Source of E. Coli Outbreak”, in The New York Times‎^[2], archived from the original on 4 December 2024:
  In a statement, McDonald’s cited tests conducted in Colorado, the state that had the most cases reported in the outbreak. On its website, the state’s Agriculture Department said that tests were done on “dozens of subsamples from all the lots and all samples were found to be negative for E. coli.”

Verb

subsample (third-person singular simple present subsamples, present participle subsampling, simple past and past participle subsampled)

(transitive) To take subsamples from.
- 1972 May 17, Peter Rims, “STATE WILL CHECK RELIEF ELIGIBILITY”, in The New York Times‎^[3]:
  The State Department of Social Services on April 11 released studies indicating statewide ineligibility of 2 to 4 per cent for federally aided cases and 5 per cent for home relief cases. The state's subsampling for New York City suggested that the rate there might be one percentage point higher.
- 2007 June 5, Andrew C. Revkin, “A Team of 2, Following the Scent of Polar Bears”, in The New York Times‎^[4], archived from the original on 9 July 2022:
  “Each sample, regardless of how I initially store it, is subsampled and dried in a food dehydrator for a few hours at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then vacuum sealed in plastic,” Ms. Gormezano said.

Usage notes

Descriptions that refer to 'discrete subsample', 'distinct subsample', 'separate subsample', or 'individual subsample' all refer to a subsample not necessarily representative of the original and which may differ widely in any number of characteristics from that of the original sample.

Derived terms

subsampler