type

[ tahyp ]
See synonyms for: typetypedtypestyping on Thesaurus.com
noun

  1. a number of things or persons sharing a particular characteristic, or set of characteristics, that causes them to be regarded as a group, more or less precisely defined or designated; class; category: a criminal of the most vicious type.

  2. a thing or person regarded as a member of a class or category; kind; sort (usually followed by of): This is some type of mushroom.

  1. Informal. a person, regarded as reflecting or typifying a certain line of work, environment, etc.: a couple of civil service types.

  2. a thing or person that represents perfectly or in the best way a class or category; model: the very type of a headmaster.

  3. Printing.

    • a rectangular piece or block, now usually of metal, having on its upper surface a letter or character in relief.

    • such pieces or blocks collectively.

    • a similar piece in a typewriter or the like.

    • such pieces collectively.

    • a printed character or printed characters: a headline in large type.

    • face (defs. 21b, c).

  4. Biology.

    • a genus or species that most nearly exemplifies the essential characteristics of a higher group.

    • the one or more specimens on which the description and naming of a species is based.

  5. Agriculture.

    • the inherited features of an animal or breed that are favorable for any given purpose: dairy type.

    • a strain, breed, or variety of animal, or a single animal, belonging to a specific kind.

  6. Logic, Linguistics.Also called type-word. the general form of a word, expression, symbol, or the like in contrast to its particular instances: The type “and” in “red and white and blue” has two separate tokens.: Compare token (def. 11).

  7. the pattern or model from which something is made.

  8. an image or figure produced by impressing or stamping, as the principal figure or device on either side of a coin or medal.

  9. a distinctive or characteristic mark or sign.

  10. a symbol of something in the future, as an Old Testament event serving as a prefiguration of a New Testament event.

  11. Medicine/Medical. blood group.

verb (used with object),typed, typ·ing.

  1. to write on a typewriter or keyboard; typewrite or keyboard.

  2. to reproduce in type or in print.

  1. Medicine/Medical. to ascertain the type of (a blood or tissue sample).

  2. to typecast.

  3. to be a type or symbol of; typify; symbolize; represent.

  4. to represent prophetically; foreshadow; prefigure.

verb (used without object),typed, typ·ing.

  1. to typewrite or keyboard.

Origin of type

1
First recorded in1425–75; late Middle English: “symbol, figure” (from Middle French ), from Latin typus “bas-relief, ground plan,” from Greek týpos “blow, impression”

usage note For type

2. When preceded by a modifier, type meaning “kind, sort” is sometimes used without a following of: This type furnace uses very little current. In writing, a hyphen is often placed between type and the preceding word or words: a magnetic-type holder; a New England-type corn pudding. This construction is frequently criticized by usage guides; it is most typical of journalistic writing and advertising and occurs rarely in formal speech or writing. In almost all cases the construction can be rendered fully standard either by restoring of after type, with no hyphen ( this type of furnace; a New England type of corn pudding ) or by omitting type altogether ( a magnetic holder).

Other words for type

Other words from type

  • mis·type, verb, mis·typed, mis·typ·ing.
  • mis·typed, adjective
  • pre·type, verb (used with object), pre·typed, pre·typ·ing.
  • re·type, verb (used with object), re·typed, re·typ·ing.
  • un·typed, adjective
  • well-typed, adjective

Words that may be confused with type

  • kind, sort, type (see usage note at the current entry)

Other definitions for -type (2 of 2)

-type

  1. a suffix representing type (prototype), especially in names of photographic processes: ferrotype.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use type in a sentence

  • Though the average speaker is generally limited by one type of voice, which he varies somewhat, it is not often disguised.

    Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge Southwick

  • Accustomed to a written character, their eyes became wearied by the crabbedness and formality of type.

  • True, she had never met the provincial type before, but she doubted if Rosewater had produced a crop of Isabel Otises.

    Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton

  • I must make no mistake, and blunder into a national type of features, all wrong; if I make your mask, it must do us credit.

    Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

  • A mixed type of the present day Negro, she was slightly tall, and somewhat slender, with a figure straight and graceful.

    The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux

British Dictionary definitions for type (1 of 2)

type

/ (taɪp) /

noun

  1. a kind, class, or category, the constituents of which share similar characteristics

  2. a subdivision of a particular class of things or people; sort: what type of shampoo do you use?

  1. the general form, plan, or design distinguishing a particular group

  2. informal a person who typifies a particular quality: he's the administrative type

  3. informal a person, esp of a specified kind: he's a strange type

    • a small block of metal or more rarely wood bearing a letter or character in relief for use in printing

    • such pieces collectively

  5. characters printed from type; print

  6. biology

    • the taxonomic group the characteristics of which are used for defining the next highest group, for example Rattus norvegicus (brown rat) is the type species of the rat genus Rattus

    • (as modifier): a type genus; a type species

  7. See type specimen

  8. the characteristic device on a coin

  9. linguistics a symbol regarded as standing for the class of all symbols identical to it: Compare token (def. 8)

  10. logic a class of expressions or of the entities they represent that can all enter into the same syntactic relations. The theory of types was advanced by Bertrand Russell to avoid the liar paradox, Russell's paradox, etc

  11. philosophy a universal. If a sentence always has the same meaning whenever it is used, the meaning is said to be a property of the sentence-type: Compare token (def. 9)

  12. mainly Christian theol a figure, episode, or symbolic factor resembling some future reality in such a way as to foreshadow or prefigure it

  13. rare a distinctive sign or mark

verb

  1. to write (copy) on a typewriter

  2. (tr) to be a symbol of; typify

  1. (tr) to decide the type of; clarify into a type

  2. (tr) med to determine the blood group of (a blood sample)

  3. (tr) mainly Christian theol to foreshadow or serve as a symbol of (some future reality)

Origin of type

1
C15: from Latin typus figure, from Greek tupos image, from tuptein to strike

British Dictionary definitions for -type (2 of 2)

-type
noun, combining form

  1. type or form: archetype

  2. printing type or photographic process: collotype

Origin of -type

2
from Latin -typus, from Greek -typos, from tupos type

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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