subtype

noun

sub·​type ˈsəb-ˌtīp How to pronounce subtype (audio)
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 neurotransmitter serotonin has at least 14 different known subtypes of receptors.Steven F. Hyman
Among subtypes of juggling found in circus shows are juggling on horseback and strong-man juggling with iron balls.Mark Levine

Examples of subtype in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Rates of breast cancer in women under 50 have increased more than 15% in the last two decades, a rise that is almost entirely driven by an increase in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (ER+), a tumor subtype that needs the hormone estrogen to grow and spread. Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 19 Oct. 2024 Genetic sequencing tests suggest the subtype of the virus in a Colorado poultry worker is B3.13 clade 2.3.4.4b and hasn't mutated enough to easily spread from person to person, evade antiviral treatments, or cause more severe disease. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 23 July 2024 There’s no specific subtype that teams are looking for. Nicolas Vega, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024 So a good example is a subtype of lung cancer, which is driven by a mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR. quantamagazine.org, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for subtype 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subtype.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subtype was in 1816

Dictionary Entries Near subtype

Cite this Entry

“Subtype.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subtype. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

subtype

1 of 2 noun
sub·​type ˈsəb-ˌtīp How to pronounce subtype (audio)
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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