rdfs:domain is an instance of rdf:Property that is used to state that any
resource that has a given property is an instance of one or more classes.
The rdfs:range of
rdfs:domain is the class rdfs:Class. This states that any resource that is
the value of an rdfs:domain property is an instance of rdfs:Class.
EXAMPLE: The property hasChild may be stated to have the domain of Mammal. From this a reasoner can deduce that if Frank hasChild Anna, then Frank* must be a Mammal.
* Note that any property tells something of the "subject" in the triple.
<rdf:Property rdf:about="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#domain">
<rdfs:isDefinedBy rdf:resource="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#"/>
<rdfs:label>domain</rdfs:label>
<rdfs:comment>A domain of the subject property.</rdfs:comment>
<rdfs:range rdf:resource="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Class"/>
<rdfs:domain rdf:resource="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#Property"/>
</rdf:Property>
P rdfs:domain C states that P is an instance of the class rdf:Property, that C is a instance of the class
rdfs:Class and that the resources denoted
by the subjects of triples whose predicate is P are instances of the class C.
<rdf:Property rdf:about="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#domain">
<rdfs:isDefinedBy rdf:resource="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#"/>
<rdfs:label>domain</rdfs:label>
<rdfs:comment>A domain of the subject property.</rdfs:comment>
<rdfs:range rdf:resource="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#Class"/>
<rdfs:domain rdf:resource="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#Property"/>
</rdf:Property>
A domain of a property limits the individuals to which the property can be applied. If a property relates an individual to another individual, and the property has a class as one of its domains, then the individual must belong to the class. Note that rdfs:domain is called a global restriction since the restriction is stated on the property and not just on the property when it is associated with a particular class. See the discussion below on property restrictions for more information.
Where a property P has more than one rdfs:domain property, then the resources
denoted by subjects of triples with predicate P are instances of all the classes
stated by the rdfs:domain properties.
The rdfs:domain property may be applied to itself. The
rdfs:domain of rdfs:domain is the class rdf:Property. This states that any resource
with an rdfs:domain property is an instance of rdf:Property.