subspace

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsʌb.speɪs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌbspeɪs
• Hyphenation: sub‧space

Etymology 1

From sub- +‎ space.

Noun

subspace (countable and uncountable, plural subspaces)

1. (countable, mathematics) A subset of a space which is a space in its own right.
2. (uncountable, science fiction) Any (often unspecified) method of communicating or travelling faster than light speed.
3. (uncountable, science fiction) An alternative dimension or universe, access to or use of which permits faster-than-light travel or communications; hyperspace.

Derived terms

• cyclic subspace
• invariant subspace
• linear subspace
• subspace topology

Translations

subset

• Catalan: subespai m
• Czech: podprostor m
• Dutch: deelruimte (nl) f
• Esperanto: subspaco
• Finnish: aliavaruus
• French: sous-espace (fr) m
• German: Unterraum m, Teilraum m
• Hindi: उपसमष्टि (upasmaṣṭi)
• Icelandic: hlutrúm n
• Italian: sottospazio m
• Portuguese: subespaço m
• Romanian: subspațiu n
• Russian: подпространство (ru) n (podprostranstvo)
• Spanish: subespacio m
• Swedish: underrum n

method of communicating

• Finnish: aliavaruus

Etymology 2

From sub (“submissive”) +‎ space (“state of mind”).

Noun

subspace (countable and uncountable, plural subspaces)

1. (BDSM) The psychological state of the submissive or bottom during sadomasochistic activity.

   Synonym: bottomspace

   Coordinate terms: domspace, topspace

   • 2000, Gloria G Brame, Come hither: a commonsense guide to kinky sex:

     My problem, though, is that when he whips me, I resist going into subspace. He has to whip me for fifteen or twenty minutes before I even begin to feel any psychological effects.

   • 2003, Chelsea Shepard, Two Moons: Worthy of a Master Book One:

     When he was far gone into subspace, pain was enough to make him come.

Alternative forms

• sub space, sub-space

Translations

psychological state

• Portuguese: subspace m