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subject
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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations noun: /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/, verb: /səbˈdʒɛkt/ US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/n., adj. ˈsʌbdʒɪkt; v. səbˈdʒɛkt/ US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(n., adj. sub′jikt; v. səb jekt′)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026sub•ject /n., adj. ˈsʌbdʒɪkt; v. səbˈdʒɛkt/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
- that which forms a basic matter of thought, discussion, etc.:He keeps changing the subject and refuses to stick to the topic.
- Educationa branch of knowledge as a course of study:Which subjects are you taking this semester?
- Literature, Philosophysomething or someone written about or represented in writing, art, or music:That beautiful model was the subject for a number of Rodin's sculptures.
- Governmentone who owes allegiance to a king or queen or other head of state:The king will provide new services for his loyal subjects.
- Grammarone of the two main parts of a sentence (the other being the predicate) that is a noun or group of words acting like a noun, which usually refers to the one performing the action or being in the state expressed by the predicate: The subject of the sentence Jesse shot the sheriff is Jesse.
- a person, animal, or corpse that is an object of medical or scientific treatment or experiment.
adj. - being under the rule, control, or influence of something:The warriors ruled harshly over their subject peoples.[be + ~ + to]We are subject to the rules and regulations in effect.
- open or exposed to;
likely to get or receive:[be + ~ + to]Those silly ideas are subject to public ridicule.
v. - to bring under rule, control, or influence:[~ + object]The weaker tribes were subjected by another warlike race.
- to expose to:[~ + object + to + object]to subject metal to intense heat.
- to make vulnerable to attack by (something);
expose:[~ + object + to + object]to subject yourself to ridicule.
prep. phrase - subject to, depending on;
dependent on:His hiring is subject to your approval.
sub•jec•tion, n. [uncountable]See -jec-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026sub•ject
(n., adj. sub′jikt;v. səb jekt′),USA pronunciation n.
- that which forms a basic matter of thought, discussion, investigation, etc.:a subject of conversation.
- Educationa branch of knowledge as a course of study:He studied four subjects in his first year at college.
- a motive, cause, or ground:a subject for complaint.
- Literature, Philosophythe theme of a sermon, book, story, etc.
- Music and Dancethe principal melodic motif or phrase in a musical composition, esp. in a fugue.
- Fine Artan object, scene, incident, etc., chosen by an artist for representation, or as represented in art.
- Governmenta person who is under the dominion or rule of a sovereign.
- Governmenta person who owes allegiance to a government and lives under its protection:four subjects of Sweden.
- Grammar(in English and many other languages) a syntactic unit that functions as one of the two main constituents of a simple sentence, the other being the predicate, and that consists of a noun, noun phrase, or noun substitute which often refers to the one performing the action or being in the state expressed by the predicate, as He in He gave notice.
- a person or thing that undergoes or may undergo some action:As a dissenter, he found himself the subject of the group's animosity.
- a person or thing under the control or influence of another.
- a person as an object of medical, surgical, or psychological treatment or experiment.
- a cadaver used for dissection.
- Philosophy[Logic.]that term of a proposition concerning which the predicate is affirmed or denied.
- Philosophy
- that which thinks, feels, perceives, intends, etc., as contrasted with the objects of thought, feeling, etc.
- the self or ego.
- Philosophy[Metaphysics.]that in which qualities or attributes inhere;
substance.
adj. - being under domination, control, or influence (often fol. by to).
- being under dominion, rule, or authority, as of a sovereign, state, or some governing power;
owing allegiance or obedience (often fol. by to).
- open or exposed (usually fol. by to):subject to ridicule.
- being dependent or conditional upon something (usually fol. by to):His consent is subject to your approval.
- being under the necessity of undergoing something (usually fol. by to):All beings are subject to death.
- liable;
prone (usually fol. by to):subject to headaches.
v.t. - to bring under domination, control, or influence (usually fol. by to).
- to bring under dominion, rule, or authority, as of a conqueror or a governing power (usually fol. by to).
- to cause to undergo the action of something specified;
expose (usually fol. by to):to subject metal to intense heat.
- to make liable or vulnerable;
lay open;
expose (usually fol. by to):to subject oneself to ridicule.
- [Obs.]to place beneath something;
make subjacent.
- Latin, as above
- Old French sugetter
- Latin subjectāre, frequentative of subicere; replacing Middle English suget(t)en
- Late Latin subjectum grammatical or dialectical subject, noun, nominal use of neuter of subjectus; replacing Middle English suget, as above; (verb, verbal)
- Latin, as above; (noun, nominal)
- Old French
- Latin subjectus placed beneath, inferior, open to inspection, origin, originally past participle of subicere to throw or place beneath, make subject, equivalent. to sub- sub- + -jec-, combining form of jacere to throw + -tus past participle suffix; replacing Middle English suget
- (adjective, adjectival) 1275–1325
1. 4. Subject, theme, topic are often interchangeable to express the material being considered in a speech or written composition. Subject is a broad word for whatever is treated in writing, speech, art, etc.:the subject for discussion.Theme and topic are usually narrower and apply to some limited or specific part of a general subject. A theme is often the underlying conception of a discourse or composition, perhaps not put into words but easily recognizable:The theme of a need for reform runs throughout her work.A topic is the statement of what is to be treated in a section of a composition:The topic is treated fully in this section. 3. reason, rationale. 17. subordinate, subservient. 20. contingent.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
subject n /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/- the predominant theme or topic, as of a book, discussion, etc
- any branch of learning considered as a course of study
- a word, phrase, or formal expression about which something is predicated or stated in a sentence; for example, the cat in the sentence The cat catches mice
- a person or thing that undergoes experiment, analysis, treatment, etc
- a person who lives under the rule of a monarch, government, etc
- an object, figure, scene, etc, as selected by an artist or photographer for representation
- that which thinks or feels as opposed to the object of thinking and feeling; the self or the mind
- a substance as opposed to its attributes
- Also called: theme a melodic or thematic phrase used as the principal motif of a fugue, the basis from which the musical material is derived in a sonata-form movement, or the recurrent figure in a rondo
- the term of a categorial statement of which something is predicated
- an originating motive
- change the subject ⇒ to select a new topic of conversation
adj /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/ (usually postpositive) and followed by to: - being under the power or sovereignty of a ruler, government, etc: subject peoples
- showing a tendency (towards): a child subject to indiscipline
- exposed or vulnerable: subject to ribaldry
- conditional upon: the results are subject to correction
adv /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/- subject to ⇒ (preposition) under the condition that: we accept, subject to her agreement
vb /səbˈdʒɛkt/ (transitive)- (followed by to) to cause to undergo the application (of): they subjected him to torture
- (often passive) followed by to: to expose or render vulnerable or liable (to some experience): he was subjected to great danger
- (followed by to) to bring under the control or authority (of): to subject a soldier to discipline
- rare to subdue or subjugate
- rare to present for consideration; submit
Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin subjectus brought under, from subicere to place under, from sub- + jacere to throwsubˈjectable adj subˌjectaˈbility n
'subject' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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