subcommittee

A subcommittee is a smaller group of members chosen from a larger committee to handle one specific part of its work. It helps break a large job into smaller parts so each issue can get more careful attention. When a main committee has too much to cover at once, it will often create smaller groups to focus on different areas.

The word itself shows the relationship: "sub" means under, so this group works under the authority of the main committee. It usually studies an issue, discusses options, and then reports its findings or suggestions back to the larger body.

You will often see this term in government, where large committees divide work among smaller groups. But it also appears in schools, companies, clubs, and non-profit organizations. A board planning a major event might create one group to handle funding and another to handle publicity. In each case, the smaller group is responsible for one area, while the main committee keeps the broader responsibility.

The key idea is that this kind of group allows more detailed study, more focused discussion, and steadier progress on a specific issue within the larger committee's work. It is a practical way to manage complex tasks without asking the full committee to do every part itself.