typical
- 1Normal or average; the kind of thing one would expect.
On a typical weekday, the clinic sees about forty patients.
Typical summer temperatures here hover around ninety degrees.
UsageOften a typical day or week, on a typical weekday; with a place or time, typical for this area.
Similarnormal, usual, average, ordinary, standard
Oppositeunusual, abnormal, exceptional
Note
The everyday end of the word, where typical means what usually happens rather than what bears the stamp of a kind. Contrast the "characteristic" meaning, which is about representing a kind, not being average.
- 2Having the usual features or qualities of a particular type, group or person.
The specimen displays the markings typical of mountain-dwelling species.
He gave a typical politician's answer, full of vague promises.
UsageUsually typical of a kind or a person. That's typical (of him) often shows annoyance at someone's usual bad habit.
Oppositeatypical
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
Its root is Ancient Greek tupos ('mark, impression, type'), which gave tupikós ('of or pertaining to a type'). Latin took this as typicus ('typical'), Late Latin lengthened it to typicalis, and English got the word from those Latin forms.