Subtypes

We consider most everything to be a "subtype" of Object.

This means that if you have a variable or field that holds an Object you can assign any data you want into it.

void main() {
String oak = "oak";
Object tree = oak;
System.out.println(tree);
}

If something is a subtype of Object, we would call Object its "supertype."1

1

Super meaning above and Sub meaning below. God how I feel for people who learn english as a second language.