deep cut

noun

plural deep cuts

1

music : a song that is considerably less popular and well-known than other songs on the same album or by the same artist

From there, the band careened through highlights and the occasional deep cut from its catalog …

—Mikael Wood

But the rocker saw an opportunity to turn casual fans on to his deep cuts—so each disc intersperses hits with lesser-known album tracks in non-chronological order.

—David Browne

2

: something (such as an obscure reference to a book or movie) that is recognizable to devotees but not usually to others

One of the fun things about being a Marvel fan is the franchise's ability to constantly surprise its audience with comic book deep cuts, surprising castings, and twists that no one sees coming.

—Alexis Nedd

deep-cut adjective

a deep-cut reference/joke

Examples of deep cut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nebraska must make deep cuts to trim its roster of approximately 150 players. —Jesse Temple, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024

Among the decisions ahead that could lose Lurie a popularity contest: tackling a budget crisis that could require deep cuts across departments; stabilizing a financially unstable city schools system; and curbing an addiction crisis that resulted in more than 800 fatal overdoses last year. —Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024

Political risks loom large Such deep cuts, however, could alienate Trump’s base. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2024

The City Council made deep cuts this summer to most city departments to help close the gap. —Jonathan Horwitz, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined at sense 1