A superclass is a class that is a generalization of one or more other classes (its subclasses), which means that it subsumes all instances of its subclasses, and that it can also have additional instances that do not belong to any of its subclasses. The intension of the superclass is less restrictive than any of its subclasses. This subsumption relationship or generalization is the inverse of the IsA relationship or specialization.
In some contexts (e.g. the programming language C++) the term parent class is used synonymously with superclass.
For example:
“Biological Object subsumes Person” is synonymous with “Biological Object is a superclass of Person”. It needs fewer traits to identify an item as a Biological Object than to identify it as a Person.