base class

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

base class
superclass

   <programming> (Or "superclass") The {class} from which another
   class (a "subclass") inherits, the class it is based on.

   "base class" is the term used in {C++}.  The objects of  the
   superclass are a superset of the objects of the subclass.

   See {inheritance}.

   (2004-01-31)