variants
or less commonly sub-type
plural subtypes also sub-types
: a type that is a subdivision of a broader type
… the … vaccine has a new, additional molecular component that its developers believe will contribute to a broader range of protection against subtypes of HIV found in North America, Europe, Australia, Central America, and South America.—
The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association… the neurotransmitter serotonin has at least 14 different known subtypes of receptors.—Steven F. Hyman
Steven F. HymanAmong subtypes of juggling found in circus shows are juggling on horseback and strong-man juggling with iron balls.—Mark Levine
Mark LevineExamples of subtype in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Identifying the subtype will allow the healthcare provider to design an appropriate treatment plan.
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 16 May 2025
In the early 2000s scientists noted the most aggressive tumors lacked the three receptors that respond to hormone therapies and termed this cancer subtype triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
—Leah Small, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2025
These lead to different combinations—with H1N1 and H3N2 presently the most common subtypes in humans—and allow influenza A to mutate more often, which is why our bodies can struggle to recognize it and fight off an infection.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
The two subtypes are perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, known as PFOS.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtype
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Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 16 May 2025
In the early 2000s scientists noted the most aggressive tumors lacked the three receptors that respond to hormone therapies and termed this cancer subtype triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
—Leah Small, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2025
These lead to different combinations—with H1N1 and H3N2 presently the most common subtypes in humans—and allow influenza A to mutate more often, which is why our bodies can struggle to recognize it and fight off an infection.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
The two subtypes are perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, known as PFOS.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtype
Cite this Entry
“Subtype.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subtype. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
subtype
1 of 2 noun
sub·type
ˈsəb-ˌtīp 
: a type that is subordinate to or included in another type
the blood group subtypes
subtypes of a disease
subtype
2 of 2 transitive verb
subtyped; subtyping
: to classify according to subtype
schizophrenic patients subtyped as paranoid or catatonic
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