subtype

American  

[suhb-tahyp] / ˈsʌbˌtaɪp /

noun

1. a subordinate type.

2. a special type included within a more general type.

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subtype British  

/ sʌbˈtɪpɪkəl, ˈsʌbˌtaɪp /

noun

1. a secondary or subordinate type or genre, esp a specific one considered as falling under a general classification

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Other Word Forms

• subtypical adjective

Etymology

Origin of subtype

First recorded in 1860–65; sub- + type

Example Sentences

Her blood is also RO, a rare and vital subtype often found in people with black African or Caribbean descent.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

Cats develop this subtype more often than humans, giving scientists access to samples, and offering clues to new medicines that might help in treatment.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Patterns of oncRNA presence and absence function as "digital molecular barcodes" that capture cancer identity at multiple levels, including tumor type, subtype, and cellular state.

From Science Daily • Feb. 17, 2026

This harmful subtype is mainly found inside the tumor itself.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026

Under U.N. law each emigrant automatically received possession of an android subtype of his choice, and, by 2019, the variety of subtypes passed all understanding, in the manner of American automobiles of the 1960s.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick