n.
Pronunciation: s ə - ' bo ̇ l-t ə rn, esp Brit ' s ə -b ə l-t ə rn
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin subalternus, from Latin sub- + alternus alternate, from alter other (of two) ― more at ALTER
Date: 1570
1 : particular with reference to a related universal proposition < “ some S is P ” is a subaltern proposition to “ all S is P ” >
2 : SUBORDINATE