stereotypical

American  

[ster-ee-uh-tip-i-kuhl, steer-] / ˌstɛr i əˈtɪp ɪ kəl, ˌstɪər- /

Also stereotypic

adjective

1. portraying a simplified and standardized conception or image, often one that is construed as derogatory.

   She is frustrated by the shallow and stereotypical roles that she is offered as an Asian actor.

   The stereotypical environmentalist is a white dude wearing sandals and tie-dye.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonstereotypic
  adjective
• nonstereotypical
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of stereotypical

stereotyp(e) ( def. ) + -ical ( def. )

Explanation

Stereotypical describes an action or a characterization that is oversimplified, widely imitated, or handed down by tradition. As in Aesop’s Fables, stereotypical characters behave predictably, or according to type, which, in Greek, literally means to strike in a mold or an impression. But most interesting people and stories do not easily fit into molds, and typecasts can be socially offensive. It might be stereotypical in a comedy skit to see police officers eating donuts, but when you get pulled over for missing a stop sign it’s best to keep that idea to yourself!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stereotypical

Not only were the images ageist and stereotypical, but they also got a key fact about entrepreneurship wrong: Older business creators are more successful than younger ones, research shows.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

The stereotypical British émigré used to be the retiree packing up for sunnier climes in Spain or France.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

"The JP Morgan case has drawn enormous interest because of the reversal of stereotypical gender roles, meaning many more people are seeking out information beyond what is coming from official channels," Scheirer said.

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

"You may see the stereotypical pencil point trees that they've started to fell or to coppice," Jasper said.

From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026

Bighorn sheep are suitable to us and similar to mouflons in most respects except a crucial one: they lack the mouflon’s stereotypical behavior whereby some individuals behave submissively toward other individuals whose dominance they acknowledge.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• archetypal
• characteristic
• common
• customary
• ordinary
• prototypical
• stereotypic
• stock
• traditional
• typical
• usual