subordinate clause

In a sentence, a clause that has a finite verb (unlike a phrase) but cannot stand as a sentence in itself. ‘Nonfinite’ phrases such as ‘after finishing the task’ may also be included in the definition of subordinate clauses.

A subordinate clause can depend on the main clause as an adjectival clause, an adverbial clause, or a noun clause. Sometimes, a fourth ‘comparative’ category is used to group clauses which modify comparative adjectives and adverbs.