diff --git a/library/schema/schema.ts b/library/schema/schema.ts
index 98df35b..7916326 100644
--- a/library/schema/schema.ts
+++ b/library/schema/schema.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export type SchemaPrototypeProperties = {
 };
 
 export type SchemaPrototypeType = {
-  "@type": string | readonly string[];
+  "@type"?: string | readonly string[];
 };
 
 export type SchemaPrototype = SchemaPrototypeProperties & SchemaPrototypeType;
diff --git a/library/schema/utils.ts b/library/schema/utils.ts
index b49e2ed..45d13d5 100644
--- a/library/schema/utils.ts
+++ b/library/schema/utils.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import rdf from "../namespaces/rdf.ts";
 import xsd from "../namespaces/xsd.ts";
 
 import type {
@@ -13,9 +14,15 @@ export const expandSchema = (schemaPrototype: SchemaPrototype) => {
   }
 
   if (Object.keys(schemaPrototype).length === 0) {
-    throw new Error(`Invalid schema, empty object, expected "@type" key or property definition`);
+    throw new Error(
+      `Invalid schema, empty object, expected "@type" key or property definition`,
+    );
   }
 
+  const expandShortcut = (value: string) => {
+    return value === "@type" ? rdf.type : value;
+  };
+
   const expandArray = <T extends string>(stringOrStrings: T | readonly T[]) => {
     return Array.isArray(stringOrStrings) ? stringOrStrings : [stringOrStrings];
   };
@@ -25,7 +32,7 @@ export const expandSchema = (schemaPrototype: SchemaPrototype) => {
   ) => {
     if (typeof stringOrProperty === "string") {
       return {
-        "@id": stringOrProperty,
+        "@id": expandShortcut(stringOrProperty),
         "@type": xsd.string,
       };
     }
@@ -52,6 +59,8 @@ export const expandSchema = (schemaPrototype: SchemaPrototype) => {
     const expandedProperty = Object.keys(property).reduce((acc, key) => {
       if (key === "@context") {
         acc[key] = expandSchema(property[key]!);
+      } else if (key === "@id") {
+        acc[key] = expandShortcut(property[key]);
       } else if (validKeys.includes(key as keyof PropertyPrototype)) {
         acc[key] = property[key as keyof PropertyPrototype] as unknown;
       }
@@ -71,7 +80,7 @@ export const expandSchema = (schemaPrototype: SchemaPrototype) => {
 
   return Object.keys(schemaPrototype).reduce((acc, key) => {
     if (key === "@type") {
-      acc[key] = expandArray(schemaPrototype[key]);
+      acc[key] = expandArray(schemaPrototype[key]!);
     } else {
       acc[key] = expandSchemaProperty(
         schemaPrototype[key] as string | PropertyPrototype,
diff --git a/tests/schema.test.ts b/tests/schema.test.ts
index 56d24d0..e6732f8 100644
--- a/tests/schema.test.ts
+++ b/tests/schema.test.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@ import { Equals, x } from "./test_utils.ts";
 
 import {
   expandSchema,
+  Property,
   type Schema,
   type SchemaInterface,
   type SchemaPrototype,
 } from "../library/schema/mod.ts";
 import { xsd } from "../library/namespaces/mod.ts";
+import rdf from "../library/namespaces/rdf.ts";
 
 type ThingType = {
   $id: string;
-  $type: string[];
   required: string;
   optional: string | undefined;
   array: string[];
@@ -22,7 +23,6 @@ type ThingType = {
   date: Date;
   nested: {
     $id: string;
-    $type: string[];
     nestedValue: string;
   };
 };
@@ -137,3 +137,19 @@ Deno.test("Schema / should have at least one property or @type restriction", ()
     expandSchema({} as unknown as SchemaPrototype);
   });
 });
+
+Deno.test("Schema / should expand @type shortcut definition", () => {
+  const schema = {
+    "type": "@type",
+  };
+  const expandedSchema = expandSchema(schema);
+  assertEquals((expandedSchema["type"] as Property)["@id"], rdf.type);
+});
+
+Deno.test("Schema / should expand @type property definition", () => {
+  const schema = {
+    "type": { "@id": "@type" },
+  };
+  const expandedSchema = expandSchema(schema);
+  assertEquals((expandedSchema["type"] as Property)["@id"], rdf.type);
+});