The process in which a precursor cell type acquires the specialized features of a T cell via a differentiation pathway dependent upon transit through the thymus. [ GOC:add https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0781735149 ]
Synonyms: thymocyte cell differentiation thymocyte differentiation thymic T cell differentiation
Term information
Note that immunologists typically use the word 'development' to refer to cells of B or T cell lineages undergoing the process that GO describes as 'cell differentiation'.