> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.snomed.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.snomed.org/snomed-international-documents/snomed-ct-glossary/p/proximal-primitive-supertype.md).

# proximal primitive supertype

## proximal primitive supertype

A primitive concept that is a supertype of specified concept and is **not** a *supertype* of any other *primitive concept* that is a *supertype* or the specified *concept*.

#### Notes

* All *concepts* except the root concept have at least one *proximal primitive supertype* concept. In many cases this is a top level hierarchy concept. However, in some case one or more intermediate primitive supertypes may exist between the top level *concept* and a defined *concept*.
* A concept's *proximal primitive supertypes* represent aspects of the meaning of that *concept* that are not formally defined by other axioms.
* The chapter on Proximal primitive modeling in the SNOMED CT Editorial Guide explains the role of *proximal primitive supertypes* in modeling concepts.

#### Example

In Figure 1 the *concepts***C** , **D** , **E** and **F** have a single *proximal primitive supertype***B**. *C* *oncept***A** is also primitive, but it is a supertype of **B** so it is not a *proximal primitive supertype* of these *concepts*. Similarly *concepts***H** , **J** and **N** have a single proximal primitive supertype **G**. Concepts **L** and **M** have a single *proximal primitive supertype***I**. Note that **G** is not a *proximal primitive supertype* for these *concepts* because it is a *supertype* of *concept* **I**. In this hierarchy only concept **P** has more than one *proximal primitive supertypes*. The *proximal primitive supertypes* of concept **P** are concepts**K\*\* \*\*and**I\*\* \*\*as neither of these *concepts* is a *supertype* of the other.

Figure 1: Illustrative Hierarchy Diagram

<figure><img src="https://1017548453-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FP21QucCX9Y41nBQt50ad%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9e86770f42b3845ca73d24a34481b77da0cd4a02%2F96806002.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Alternatives

* **Proximal primitive parent**

##

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