In biological taxonomy, a domain, also superkingdom or empire, is the highest taxonomic rank of organisms in the three-domain system of taxonomy devised by Carl Woese et.al. in 1990.

According to this system, the tree of life consists of three domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. The first two are all prokaryotic microorganisms, or single-celled organisms whose cells have no nucleus. All life that has a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, and multicellular organisms, is included in the Eukarya.

Each of these three domains contains unique RNA. This forms the basis of the three-domain system. While the presence of a nuclear membrane differentiates the Eukarya from the Archaea and Bacteria, both of which lack a nuclear membrane, distinct biochemical and RNA markers differentiate the Archaea and Bacteria from each other.

The three-domain system does not include any form of non-cellular life. As of 2011 there was talk about nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses possibly being a fourth domain of life, a view supported by researchers in 2012. Stefan Luketa proposed a five-domain system in 2012, adding Prionobiota (acellular and without nucleic acid) and Virobiota (acellular but with nucleic acid) to the traditional three domains.

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