Subworld

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A smaller or distinct world contained within a larger one, such as a separate realm in a fictional universe or a game
2. A secondary realm existing inside a bigger world or system, often imagined in fantasy, science fiction, or video games
3. A self-contained world nested within a larger reality or setting, usually with its own rules or inhabitants

Etymology: "Subworld" is a plain compound, formed by joining the prefix "sub-" (from Latin "sub," meaning "under" or "below") to "world." The result is a word for a realm or level existing beneath or within the main world, or in a more specific sense a hidden or underground society operating beneath ordinary public life. The "sub-" prefix itself has a long history in English, entering through Latin and French and appearing in countless formations such as "submarine" and "subordinate." Attaching it to "world" follows the same pattern: the prefix places the new word below the familiar one, so a subworld is literally a world beneath the one we normally see.