Type Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms type 1 American [tahyp] / taɪp /

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.

   Synonyms: stamp, form, classification, sort

2. a thing or person regarded as a member of a class or category; kind; sort (usually followed byof ).

   This is some type of mushroom.

   Synonyms: example, sample

3. Informal. a person, regarded as reflecting or typifying a certain line of work, environment, etc..

   a couple of civil service types.

4. a thing or person that represents perfectly or in the best way a class or category; model.

   the very type of a headmaster.

5. Printing.

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

   2. such pieces or blocks collectively.

   3. a similar piece in a typewriter or the like.

   4. such pieces collectively.

   5. a printed character or printed characters.

      a headline in large type.

   6. face.

6. Biology.

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

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

7. Agriculture.

   1. the inherited features of an animal or breed that are favorable for any given purpose.

      dairy type.

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

8. Also called type-word. Logic, Linguistics. 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.

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

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

11. a distinctive or characteristic mark or sign.

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

13. Medicine/Medical. blood group.

verb (used with object)

typed, typing

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

2. to reproduce in type or in print.

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

4. to typecast.

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

6. to represent prophetically; foreshadow; prefigure.

verb (used without object)

typed, typing

1. to typewrite or keyboard.

-type 2 American

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

   ferrotype.

type 1 British / 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?

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

4. informal a person who typifies a particular quality

   he's the administrative type

5. informal a person, esp of a specified kind

   he's a strange type

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

   2. such pieces collectively

7. characters printed from type; print

8. biology

   1. 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

   2. ( as modifier )

      a type genus

      a type species

9. See type specimen

10. the characteristic device on a coin

11. linguistics a symbol regarded as standing for the class of all symbols identical to it Compare token

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. rare a distinctive sign or mark

"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

verb

1. to write (copy) on a typewriter

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

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

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

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

"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 -type 2 British

noun

1. type or form

   archetype

2. printing type or photographic process

   collotype

"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

Usage

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 Word Forms

• mistype verb
• mistyped adjectivemistyped, mistyping
• pretype verb (used with object)
• retype verb (used with object)
• untyped adjective
• well-typed adjective

Etymology

Origin of type

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English: “symbol, figure” (from Middle French ), from Latin typus “bas-relief, ground plan,” from Greek týpos “blow, impression”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The State Bar remains committed to pursuing misconduct of this type, regardless of the positions held by the attorneys engaging in it,” Cardona said.

From Los Angeles Times

"We are creating human imitators. And so of course, the natural application for that type of system is replacing humans," leading computer science researcher Stuart Russell told AFP.

From Barron's

Not long after the hack, a mysterious website appeared, inviting journalists to type “Die Sony” into any internet browser, where they could find tens of thousands of leaked emails.

From The Wall Street Journal

"British consumers expect to be able to buy the same types of produce all year round," he says.

From BBC

"The taxes imposed by Hamas depend on the type and quantity of goods, but prices start at 20,000 shekels and above," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• brand
• breed
• category
• character
• description
• form
• group
• lot
• nature
• number
• sample
• sort
• standard
• strain
• variety

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.