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
Most notable was that the functional and young adult subtypes represented roughly between 19% to 31% of all alcoholics, while the chronic severe subtype represented only 9%—yet the latter has become the stereotype.
—Sarah Allen Benton, SELF, 23 Dec. 2025
In the most recent flu samples tested, scientists found about 90 percent were H3N2, which is a common subtype of flu virus — and nearly 9 in 10 of those samples examined for genetic characteristics turned out to be a new subvariant known as subclade K.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Wastewater monitoring this fall has detected both A and B subtypes.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 24 Nov. 2025
There are several subtypes of AML that are important in determining a person's prognosis, according to the ACS.
—Kate Reilly, NBC news, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtype
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Sarah Allen Benton, SELF, 23 Dec. 2025
In the most recent flu samples tested, scientists found about 90 percent were H3N2, which is a common subtype of flu virus — and nearly 9 in 10 of those samples examined for genetic characteristics turned out to be a new subvariant known as subclade K.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Wastewater monitoring this fall has detected both A and B subtypes.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 24 Nov. 2025
There are several subtypes of AML that are important in determining a person's prognosis, according to the ACS.
—Kate Reilly, NBC news, 22 Nov. 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 28 Dec. 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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