Superclass

In biology, a superclass is a taxonomic grade intermediate between subphylum and class.

For example, "Tetrapoda" is a superclass that includes the four classes of four-limbed land vertebrates - Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia.

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In computer science, superclass is a class that is used to derive other classes. A superclass is also called a parent class or base class. The classes that are derived from a superclass are known as child classes or derived classes. A superclass allows for a generic interface to specialized functionality through the use of virtual functions.