typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈti-pi-kəl 

1

a

: combining or exhibiting the essential characteristics of a group

typical suburban houses

b

: conforming to a type

a specimen typical of the species

2

: constituting or having the nature of a type : symbolic

typicality

ˌti-pə-ˈka-lə-tē 

noun

typicalness

ˈti-pi-kəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• archetypal
• archetypical
• average
• characteristic
• normal
• regular
• representative
• standard
• true

Choose the Right Synonym for typical

regular, normal, typical, natural mean being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average.

regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

Examples of typical in a Sentence

It was his typical response.

It was a typical Saturday night for us.

We wanted him to have the typical college experience of living on campus.

Recent Examples on the Web

But, as is typical of Israel’s longest serving prime minister, Netanyahu’s main concern was his own image. —Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024

That’s typical cloud capitalism, producing technofeudalism. —Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 9 Apr. 2024

The hint to her new album is typical of Swift, who often leaves breadcrumb trails for fans to follow. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024

The excavation of Anchor Church Field yielded pottery, two bone combs, and glass fragments from thin-walled drinking vessels, which the team stated were typical in the 7th to 9th centuries and are associated with high-status activity. —Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024

Also typical, but not on restaurant menus, is bisato su l'ara, a Christmas eel recipe cooked inside the Murano glass ovens. —Maddalena Fossati, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2024

These scores are typical of USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 SSDs, few of which match their read-speed ratings; several other Gen 2x2 SSDs had similar write-speed scores. —PCMAG, 6 Apr. 2024

Decades ago, the typical person attempting to enter the U.S. was an adult male from Mexico seeking work. —arkansasonline.com, 5 Apr. 2024

At the 100 Best, 86% of employees feel people are willing to give extra effort and 83% feel people adapt quickly to changes, compared with 59% and 61% at typical workplaces, respectively. —Michael C. Bush, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin typicalis, from typicus, from Greek typikos, from typos model — more at type entry 1

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈtip-i-kəl 

: combining or showing the special characteristics of a group or kind

a typical school lunch

typically

-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈtip-i-kəl 

: conforming to a type

a typical specimen

typical symptoms of a disease