diff --git a/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type.go.tmpl b/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type.go.tmpl
index 0f4355aed..193c43ae0 100644
--- a/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type.go.tmpl
+++ b/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type.go.tmpl
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package semconv // import "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/semconv/{{.TagVer}}"
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"reflect"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/attribute"
@@ -14,12 +15,14 @@ import (
 // If err is nil, the returned attribute has the default value
 // [ErrorTypeOther].
 //
-// If err's type has the method
+// If err or one of the errors in its chain has the method
 //
 //	ErrorType() string
 //
-// then the returned attribute has the value of err.ErrorType(). Otherwise, the
-// returned attribute has a value derived from the concrete type of err.
+// the returned attribute has that method's return value. If multiple errors in
+// the chain implement this method, the value from the first match found by
+// [errors.As] is used. Otherwise, the returned attribute has a value derived
+// from the concrete type of err.
 //
 // The key of the returned attribute is [ErrorTypeKey].
 func ErrorType(err error) attribute.KeyValue {
@@ -33,8 +36,15 @@ func ErrorType(err error) attribute.KeyValue {
 func errorType(err error) string {
 	var s string
 	if et, ok := err.(interface{ ErrorType() string }); ok {
-		// Prioritize the ErrorType method if available.
+		// Fast path: check the top-level error first.
 		s = et.ErrorType()
+	} else {
+		// Fallback: search the error chain for an ErrorType method.
+		var et interface{ ErrorType() string }
+		if errors.As(err, &et) {
+			// Prioritize the ErrorType method if available.
+			s = et.ErrorType()
+		}
 	}
 	if s == "" {
 		// Fallback to reflection if the ErrorType method is not supported or
diff --git a/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type_test.go.tmpl b/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type_test.go.tmpl
index 52ac82881..1d8a82f5f 100644
--- a/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type_test.go.tmpl
+++ b/internal/tools/semconvkit/templates/error_type_test.go.tmpl
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ func TestErrorType(t *testing.T) {
 	check(t, nil, ErrorTypeOther.Value.AsString())
 	check(t, errors.New("msg"), "*errors.errorString")
 	check(t, custom("aborted"), "aborted")
-	check(t, custom(""), pkg+".ErrCustomType") // empty ErrorType, use concrete type.
+	check(t, errors.Join(custom("left"), custom("right")), "left") // first errors.As match is used.
+	check(t, custom(""), pkg+".ErrCustomType")                     // empty ErrorType, use concrete type.
+	check(t, wrapped(custom("wrapped-aborted")), "wrapped-aborted")
+	check(t, wrapped(custom("")), pkg+".wrappedErr") // empty ErrorType in chain, use concrete top-level type.
 }
 
 func check(t *testing.T, err error, want string) {
@@ -32,6 +35,10 @@ func custom(typ string) error {
 	return ErrCustomType{Type: typ}
 }
 
+func wrapped(err error) error {
+	return wrappedErr{err: err}
+}
+
 type ErrCustomType struct {
 	Type string
 }
@@ -43,3 +50,15 @@ func (e ErrCustomType) Error() string {
 func (e ErrCustomType) ErrorType() string {
 	return e.Type
 }
+
+type wrappedErr struct {
+	err error
+}
+
+func (e wrappedErr) Error() string {
+	return "wrapped: " + e.err.Error()
+}
+
+func (e wrappedErr) Unwrap() error {
+	return e.err
+}
diff --git a/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type.go b/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type.go
index 09c270294..6d26e5282 100644
--- a/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type.go
+++ b/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package semconv // import "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/semconv/v1.40.0"
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"reflect"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/attribute"
@@ -14,12 +15,14 @@ import (
 // If err is nil, the returned attribute has the default value
 // [ErrorTypeOther].
 //
-// If err's type has the method
+// If err or one of the errors in its chain has the method
 //
 //	ErrorType() string
 //
-// then the returned attribute has the value of err.ErrorType(). Otherwise, the
-// returned attribute has a value derived from the concrete type of err.
+// the returned attribute has that method's return value. If multiple errors in
+// the chain implement this method, the value from the first match found by
+// [errors.As] is used. Otherwise, the returned attribute has a value derived
+// from the concrete type of err.
 //
 // The key of the returned attribute is [ErrorTypeKey].
 func ErrorType(err error) attribute.KeyValue {
@@ -33,8 +36,15 @@ func ErrorType(err error) attribute.KeyValue {
 func errorType(err error) string {
 	var s string
 	if et, ok := err.(interface{ ErrorType() string }); ok {
-		// Prioritize the ErrorType method if available.
+		// Fast path: check the top-level error first.
 		s = et.ErrorType()
+	} else {
+		// Fallback: search the error chain for an ErrorType method.
+		var et interface{ ErrorType() string }
+		if errors.As(err, &et) {
+			// Prioritize the ErrorType method if available.
+			s = et.ErrorType()
+		}
 	}
 	if s == "" {
 		// Fallback to reflection if the ErrorType method is not supported or
diff --git a/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type_test.go b/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type_test.go
index 2caffa878..b01ea7964 100644
--- a/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type_test.go
+++ b/semconv/v1.40.0/error_type_test.go
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ func TestErrorType(t *testing.T) {
 	check(t, nil, ErrorTypeOther.Value.AsString())
 	check(t, errors.New("msg"), "*errors.errorString")
 	check(t, custom("aborted"), "aborted")
-	check(t, custom(""), pkg+".ErrCustomType") // empty ErrorType, use concrete type.
+	check(t, errors.Join(custom("left"), custom("right")), "left") // first errors.As match is used.
+	check(t, custom(""), pkg+".ErrCustomType")                     // empty ErrorType, use concrete type.
+	check(t, wrapped(custom("wrapped-aborted")), "wrapped-aborted")
+	check(t, wrapped(custom("")), pkg+".wrappedErr") // empty ErrorType in chain, use concrete top-level type.
 }
 
 func check(t *testing.T, err error, want string) {
@@ -32,6 +35,10 @@ func custom(typ string) error {
 	return ErrCustomType{Type: typ}
 }
 
+func wrapped(err error) error {
+	return wrappedErr{err: err}
+}
+
 type ErrCustomType struct {
 	Type string
 }
@@ -43,3 +50,15 @@ func (e ErrCustomType) Error() string {
 func (e ErrCustomType) ErrorType() string {
 	return e.Type
 }
+
+type wrappedErr struct {
+	err error
+}
+
+func (e wrappedErr) Error() string {
+	return "wrapped: " + e.err.Error()
+}
+
+func (e wrappedErr) Unwrap() error {
+	return e.err
+}