noun
subtext
noun
1
A meaning implied beneath the surface of a text, speech, or conversation, not stated outright.
"The dialogue was polite, but the subtext was pure hostility."
"Critics loved the film's subtext about class and ambition."
How to Use Subtext
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe real, unspoken meaning hiding underneath what is actually said or written.
Common pairings
read the subtext
political subtext
obvious subtext
Word Forms
subtexted past tense, subtexts plural, subtexts singular
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The dialogue was polite, but the _____ was pure hostility.
Etymology
From sub- ("beneath") plus text.