diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/artists-domain.yaml b/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/artists-domain.yaml
index 44963e8a34..bf805fc037 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/artists-domain.yaml
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/artists-domain.yaml
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ metadata:
       icon: dashboard
 spec:
   owner: team-a
-  domain: audio
+  subdomainOf: audio
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/playback-domain.yaml b/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/playback-domain.yaml
index c9933ebf5e..58b5afe56e 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/playback-domain.yaml
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/examples/domains/playback-domain.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ metadata:
   description: Everything related to audio playback
 spec:
   owner: user:frank.tiernan
+  subdomainOf: audio
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.test.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.test.ts
index 40c3e3ee5e..3c1e7f0a6d 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.test.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.test.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ describe('DomainV1alpha1Validator', () => {
       },
       spec: {
         owner: 'me',
-        domain: 'parent',
+        subdomainOf: 'parent-domain',
       },
     };
   });
@@ -70,18 +70,18 @@ describe('DomainV1alpha1Validator', () => {
     await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/owner/);
   });
 
-  it('accepts missing domain', async () => {
-    delete (entity as any).spec.domain;
+  it('accepts missing subdomainOf', async () => {
+    delete (entity as any).spec.subdomainOf;
     await expect(validator.check(entity)).resolves.toBe(true);
   });
 
-  it('rejects wrong domain', async () => {
-    (entity as any).spec.domain = 7;
-    await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/domain/);
+  it('rejects wrong subdomainOf', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.subdomainOf = 7;
+    await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/subdomainOf/);
   });
 
-  it('rejects empty domain', async () => {
-    (entity as any).spec.domain = '';
-    await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/domain/);
+  it('rejects empty subdomainOf', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.subdomainOf = '';
+    await expect(validator.check(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/subdomainOf/);
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.ts
index dacb5f817b..1fe3dfb522 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/DomainEntityV1alpha1.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export interface DomainEntityV1alpha1 extends Entity {
   kind: 'Domain';
   spec: {
     owner: string;
-    domain?: string;
+    subdomainOf?: string;
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/schema/kinds/Domain.v1alpha1.schema.json b/packages/catalog-model/src/schema/kinds/Domain.v1alpha1.schema.json
index 00549db11b..7d0d7e25ff 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/schema/kinds/Domain.v1alpha1.schema.json
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/schema/kinds/Domain.v1alpha1.schema.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
       },
       "spec": {
         "owner": "artist-relations-team",
-        "domain": "artists"
+        "subdomainOf": "audio"
       }
     }
   ],
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@
               "examples": ["artist-relations-team", "user:john.johnson"],
               "minLength": 1
             },
-            "domain": {
+            "subdomainOf": {
               "type": "string",
-              "description": "An entity reference to the domain that the system belongs to.",
-              "examples": ["artists"],
+              "description": "An entity reference to another domain of which the domain is a part.",
+              "examples": ["audio"],
               "minLength": 1
             }
           }