A subculture is a unique culture shared by a smaller group of people within a larger culture. While a larger culture often include many subcultures, an individual, thus can be a part of several of them simultaneously.

Each subculture has norms, values and customs of its own that are not a part of the broader culture within which that particular subculture is enveloped. For example, the Bangalees residing in the USA share a common culture making it a subculture while they all exist within the broader culture of the United States of America. The same goes with the Indians, Chinese and other populations residing in a different country than their own.

Sometimes, minority groups are considered as subcultural groups and vice versa; but many find it as a negative comparison because, as some perceive, the prefix 'sub' in the word subculture means something subordinate - that is, inferior. For example, some consider 'lesbians' or 'gay community', or the LGBTQ community as subcultural groups while many others reject the idea because of the notion of imposing 'inferiority' on them by saying so.