# subtype

## subtype

A specialization of a concept, sharing all the definitional attributes of that concept, but with at least one additional distinguishing feature

#### Notes

* *Subtypes* are transitive, that is if A is a *subtype* of B and B is a *subtype* of C, then A is also a *subtype* of C.
* The term *subtype* is synonymous with subtype descendant. However, it may be helpful to use the term *subtype descendant* to emphasize inclusion of all *subtypes* not just subtype children.
  * Note that the distinguishing features may or may not be represented in the concept definition.

Example

#### Examples

* [87628006 | Bacterial infectious disease|](http://snomed.info/id/87628006) is a *subtype* of [40733004 | Infectious disease|](http://snomed.info/id/40733004) .
* [10001005 | Bacterial sepsis|](http://snomed.info/id/10001005) and [197171003 | Bacterial peritonitis|](http://snomed.info/id/197171003) are *subtypes* of [87628006 | Bacterial infectious disease|](http://snomed.info/id/87628006) (and thus also *subtypes* of [40733004 | Infectious disease|](http://snomed.info/id/40733004) ).

## Disambiguation

Not to be confused with:

* The term *subtype* is sometimes used incorrectly to refer **only** to concepts that are directly related to a parent concept via a single [| is a|](http://snomed.info/id/116680003) relationship. The correct term for a directly related *subtype* concept is subtype child.

##

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