typology

noun

ty·​pol·​o·​gy tī-ˈpä-lə-jē How to pronounce typology (audio)
plural typologies
1
: study of or analysis or classification based on types or categories
2
: a doctrine of theological types
especially : one holding that things in Christian belief are prefigured or symbolized by things in the Old Testament
typologist noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Those typologies would be well known to virtually any Chicagoan: Single-family bungalow, two-flat, three-flat, six-flat and row house. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023 The ample one-bedroom residence, organized around an interior patio, is a contemporary take on the traditional typology of local farmhouses, with a nearby guest cottage featuring the same dimensions as the courtyard, as if extruded from the main volume. Ana Karina Zatarain, ELLE Decor, 30 Nov. 2022 In the 1960s, researchers developed a typology of four styles of parenting, based on the levels of support and control that parents exhibited: Research since then has backed the authoritative style, which combines high expectations with a willingness to meet a child’s needs. Elizabeth Chang, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2023 Briggs seized on the idea, and mother and daughter threw themselves into the task, fashioning questions intended to identify people as introverts or extroverts, thinkers or feelers, among other categories, while drawing on Jung’s psychological typology. Benedict Carey, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2022 Ehrman Crest redefines the typology of a classroom, which sometimes has a sterile feel to it. Kellie B. Gormly, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Feb. 2023 The story posits that the rental market for single-family homes has held up because renters of that typology have more money. Roger Valdez, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2023 As a typology, the mall is ideally suited to Dallas, because the mall caters to two of the city’s favorite pastimes: driving and shopping. Dallas News, 27 July 2022 The Myers-Briggs, which is based off of Jungian typology, sorts people into 16 hard-and-fast personality categories. Jennifer Walter, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'typology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of typology was in 1845

Dictionary Entries Near typology

Cite this Entry

“Typology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typology. Accessed 9 Jun. 2023.

Medical Definition

typology

noun
ty·​pol·​o·​gy tī-ˈpäl-ə-jē How to pronounce typology (audio)
plural typologies
: study of or study based on types
especially : classification (as of personality, human physique, or bacterial strains) based on the comparative study of types
typological adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on typology

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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