type

TYP/taɪp/

Pluraltypes

Verbtypes, typing, typed

19 meanings of type

Practice

1
kindnouncountable
A group of things or people that share the same features.
Like sorting toys into boxes: each box holds one kind of thing.
What type of phone do you have?
There are many types of clouds in the sky.
UsageSay this type of car, or these types of cars.
Similarkind, sort, variety, category, class
2
verbtransitive or intransitive
To write by pressing the keys on a computer keyboard, phone screen, or typewriter.
Like pressing buttons to spell out words on a screen.
Please type your password in the box.
She types quickly without looking at the keys.
UsageSay type your name into the box.
3
taste in peoplenouncountable
The kind of person someone likes most or feels attracted to.
Like having a favorite flavor of ice cream that you always choose.
She said the new coworker was just her type.
Funny and kind people have always been my type.
UsageSay he's not my type.
4
sort of personnouncountable
A person who seems to be a perfect example of a certain group or job.
With his gray suit and briefcase, he was the classic office type.
She's the outdoor type who spends every weekend hiking.
UsageSay arty types or office types for a group of people.
Similarcharacter, sort, breed, stereotype
Note
5
nouncountable
In computing or logic, a kind of data, such as number or text, that controls how it can be used.
Like labeling jars so you know one holds sugar and another holds salt.
In this language, you must set the type for each variable.
The error happened because the two values had different types.
Note

Less common meanings

6
blood groupnouncountable
One of the groups that blood can belong to, such as A, B, or O.
The hospital needed to know her blood type before surgery.
People with type O can donate blood to many others.
UsageSay blood type, or type A.
Similargroup
Note
7
classifyverbtransitive
To sort things into groups based on what they have in common.
Like putting your clothes into piles of shirts, pants, and socks.
The lab will type each flu virus to learn which strain it is.
The system types every file by its format.
Similarclassify, categorize, sort, group, class
Note
8
printed textnoununcountable
Printed letters and words as they appear on a page.
The type on the old map was too small to read.
They printed the warning in bold type.
UsageSay bold type or small type.
Similarprint, lettering, font
Note
9
noununcountable
Small blocks with raised letters on them, used to print words on paper, or a full set of them.
The printer arranged the type neatly in rows before printing.
Each page was set in heavy metal type by hand.
Note
10
test bloodverbtransitive
To find out which blood group a person or sample belongs to.
Like checking a label to see which group something belongs to.
Doctors type the patient's blood before any transfusion.
The nurse typed her blood during the checkup.
UsageSay her blood was typed before surgery.
11
nouncountable
A person or thing that stands for a quality or is a perfect example of it.
Like a model student a teacher holds up as the perfect example.
He was the very type of a brave hero.
That gentle old dog is the very type of patience.
UsageThe type of courage means a perfect example of courage.
Similarepitome, embodiment, archetype, exemplar, paragon
Note
12
early sign (Bible)nouncountable
In the Bible, an early person or event that points to a later one.
Like an early hint in a story that points to what happens at the end.
Early church writers saw Moses as a type of Jesus.
The old story was read as a type of something still to come.
Similarforerunner, precursor, prefiguration, foreshadowing
Oppositeantitype
Note
13
noun
A specimen chosen to fix the official name of a species, even if it is not a typical example.
14
noun
The original thing that a copy is based on, such as the design on the front of a coin.
15
noun
A distinct word in a text, counted just once no matter how often it appears.
16
verbarchaic
To stand for or be an example of something.
Let us type them now in our own lives.
1847, Alfred Tennyson, The Princess
17
verbrare
To stand for a later person or event as an early sign of it.
18
noun
A simple chemical that acts as a pattern for a group of related compounds.
19
adverbslang
Very, used to make the word after it stronger.
I'm ngl you're type ugly too
2023, @chillimnotacop, TwitterHere, type means very, making the next word stronger.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of type apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin typus, from Greek túpos meaning "mark" or "impression," from a verb meaning "I strike."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

English type derives from Latin typus. en.wiktionary.org
Latin typus derives from Greek túpos, meaning mark or impression. en.wiktionary.org
Greek túpos derives from the verb túptō. en.wiktionary.org
The Greek verb túptō means I strike. en.wikisource.org