type

1 of 2

noun

ˈtīp 

often attributive

1

a

: a particular kind, class, or group

oranges of the seedless type

leaders of the new type … did England yeoman's service

—G. M. Trevelyan

b

: something distinguishable as a variety : sort

what type of food do you like?

c

: a member of an indicated class or variety of people

the guests were mostly urban types

—Lucy Cook

d

: a typical and often superior specimen

e

: qualities common to a number of individuals that distinguish them as an identifiable class: such as

(1)

: the morphological, physiological, or ecological characters by which relationship between organisms may be recognized

(2)

: the form common to all instances of a linguistic element

2

a

: printed letters

b(1)

: a rectangular block usually of metal bearing a relief character from which an inked print can be made

(2)

: a collection of such blocks

a font of type

(3)

: alphanumeric characters for printing

the type for this book has been photoset

c

: typeface

italic type

d

: matter set in type

3

: a distinctive mark or sign

4

a

: a person or thing (as in the Old Testament) believed to foreshadow another (as in the New Testament)

b

: one having qualities of a higher category : model

c

: a lower taxonomic category selected as a standard of reference for a higher category

also : a specimen or series of specimens on which a taxonomic species or subspecies is actually based

type

2 of 2

verb

typed; typing

intransitive verb

: to write something on a typewriter or enter data into a computer by way of a keyboard

transitive verb

1

: to produce (a character, a document, etc.) using a keyboard (as on a typewriter or computer)

also : keyboard

2

: to identify as belonging to a type: such as

a

: to determine the natural type of (as a blood sample)

b

: typecast

3

a

: to produce a copy of

b

: to represent in terms of typical characteristics : typify

4

: to represent beforehand as a type : prefigure

typeable

ˈtī-pə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

Noun

• kind
• sort
• genre
• stripe
• variety

Verb

• classify
• rank
• sort
• group
• distinguish
• grade
• relegate
• class

Choose the Right Synonym for type

type, kind, sort, nature, description, character mean a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities.

type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

Examples of type in a Sentence

Noun

We were not prepared to face this type of crisis.

We studied various types of trees.

a seedless type of orange

He only likes two types of music.

She likes all types of books.

Verb

How fast can you type?

I never learned how to type.

She asked her secretary to type a memo.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Department of Justice said Rogers sent a total of 37 threatening handwritten and typed letters between 2007 and 2015. —Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025

But because so much of modern life happens in front of us — sitting, driving, typing — these muscles often become underused and weak. —Dana Santas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025

Tuberculosis ravaged his body, and typing thousands of words a day only weakened him further. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025

And at a huge 62% discount on Walmart, upgrading your setup is as easy as typing abc. —PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Late Latin typus, from Latin & Greek; Latin typus image, from Greek typos blow, impression, model, from typtein to strike, beat; akin to Sanskrit tupati he injures and probably to Latin stupēre to be benumbed

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Phrases Containing type

• cold type
• not someone's type
• not the type
• n-type
• of one kind/sort/type or another
• pre-type
• p-type
• revert to type
• some kind/sort/type of
• sub-type
• touch-type
• type A
• type B
• type genus
• type I error
• type II error
• type species
• type specimen
• wild type

Rhymes for type

• gripe
• hype
• lipe
• pipe
• ripe
• sipe
• skype
• snipe
• stipe
• stripe
• strype
• swipe

Kids Definition

type

1 of 2 noun

ˈtīp 

1

a

: a rectangular block usually of metal with a raised letter or number from which an inked print is made

b

: a set of letters or figures that are used for printing or the letters or figures printed by them

2

a

: the special things by which members of a group are set apart from other groups

horses of the draft type

b

: a particular kind, class, or group

a seedless type of orange

I don't like people of that type

type

2 of 2 verb

typed; typing

1

: to write with a keyboard (as on a typewriter or computer)

2

: to identify as belonging to a type

Medical Definition

type

1 of 2 noun

ˈtīp 

1

: a lower taxonomic category selected as a standard of reference for a higher category

also : a specimen or series of specimens on which a taxonomic species or subspecies is actually based

2

: the morphological, physiological, or ecological characters by which relationship between organisms may be recognized

3

: a particular kind, class, or group

cell types

specifically : a group distinguishable on physiological or serological bases

salmonella types

type

2 of 2 transitive verb

typed; typing

: to determine the type of (as a sample of blood or a culture of bacteria)