subvariant

[ suhb-vair-ee-uhnt ]

noun

1. Microbiology, Pathology. a genetically distinct form of a virus, bacteria, or other microorganism, which arises when a variant of the original strain mutates.
2. in a classification or hierarchy, a distinct, often more specialized type of something that is itself one of a subset of a broader or higher category; subtype:

   Each fighter plane in the A-series was eventually issued in the subvariants of fighter-bomber and bomber-destroyer.

Word History and Origins

Origin of subvariant¹

First recorded in 1900–05; sub- ( def ) + variant ( def )