type

type — noun

1. one among several possible varieties of something, where all members of that var

1.nounA2
Definition

one among several possible varieties of something, where all members of that variety have similar features.

Example

What type of music does Talia enjoy listening to?

type of + noun (music)

This new type of battery lasts much longer than the old one.

type of + noun phrase with comparative

Common collocations
  • type of
  • types of
  • different types
  • same type
  • all types
  • this type
Synonyms
  • kind

    less formal and slightly more common in everyday speech; e.g. 'What kind of dog is that?'

  • sort

    slightly informal; often used in British English; e.g. 'What sort of job are you looking for?'

  • category

    more formal and suggests a deliberate system of classification; e.g. 'This award has three categories.'

  • variety

    emphasises the range within a group; used with 'of': 'a wide variety of choices'

Grammar Patterns

type of + noun

type of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'of' to introduce the larger category the group belongs to. The plural 'types of' is also common: 'all types of people', 'different types of food'.

Common Mistakes

I like this type a music.
I like this type of music.
'type' must be followed by 'of' before the noun describing the category.
There are many type of animals.
There are many types of animals.
Use the plural 'types' after 'many', 'several', 'different', etc.

2. someone whose nature and habits lead you to view them as a representative exampl

2.nounB1
Definition

someone whose nature and habits lead you to view them as a representative example of a broader set of people.

Example

Tunde is the artistic type — he spends every weekend painting in his studio.

the [adjective] type

Ayesha is not the type of person who gives up when things get difficult.

the type of person who...

Common collocations
  • the ... type
  • type of person
  • not the type
Synonyms
  • kind of person

    more conversational; e.g. 'He is a kind person, the helpful kind.'

  • sort

    informal, similar to 'type' in describing personality; British English preference

Grammar Patterns

type of + person/people

the ... type

a ... type

Usage Note

Often used with adjectives describing personality or interests: 'the serious type', 'the outdoors type'. Can also describe a negative trait: 'He is the scheming type.' The structure 'the type to do something' is also possible: 'She is not the type to complain.'

Common Mistakes

She is type of person who works hard.
She is the type of person who works hard.
'type' needs a determiner like 'the' in this structure.
He is not type to lie.
He is not the type to lie.
Include the article 'the' before 'type'.

3. the sort of person who tends to catch your romantic interest, so that you can sa

3.nounB2
Definition

the sort of person who tends to catch your romantic interest, so that you can say whether someone fits that image or not.

Example

Anya told me that tall men with glasses are her type.

be [possessive] type

Christopher asked Quinn out, but Quinn said Christopher was not his type.

not [possessive] type — rejection in dating context

Common collocations
  • my type
  • her type
  • his type
  • not my type

Grammar Patterns

[possessive] type

be someone's type

Usage Note

Almost always used as a possessive or in the pattern 'be someone's type'. Only describes romantic or physical attraction, not friendships. Can be negated to politely decline interest: 'He is nice, but he is just not my type.'

Common Mistakes

I like her as a friend but she is not my kind.
I like her as a friend but she is not my type.
'type' is the correct word for romantic attraction; 'kind' is not used this way.
That jacket is my type.
That jacket is my style.
'type' only describes people in this sense, not objects or fashion.

4. the particular design and size of the characters that appear in printed material

4.nounB1
Definition

the particular design and size of the characters that appear in printed material or on a computer screen.

Example

The warning was printed in bold type so that nobody would miss it.

in bold type — common pattern for emphasis

Trang could not read the small type on the medicine bottle without her reading glasses.

small type — describes font size

Common collocations
  • bold type
  • small type
  • large type
  • in type
  • set in type
Synonyms
  • typeface

    more specific; refers to the design of the characters, not the size; e.g. 'Times New Roman is a common typeface.'

  • font

    modern term, especially in computing; includes size and style; e.g. 'Change the font to 12-point Arial.'

  • print

    broader term covering all printed characters; e.g. 'The print in this dictionary is very clear.'

Grammar Patterns

in [adjective] type

set in type

small/large/bold type

Usage Note

Uncountable in this sense — you cannot say 'a type' to mean a font. For a specific font design, use 'typeface' or 'font'. 'Print' is a broader term that covers all printed characters, while 'type' specifically refers to the visual style and size.

Common Mistakes

Please use a larger type for the title.
Please use larger type for the title.
'type' is uncountable here, so no article 'a'.
I like this new type they used in the book.
I like this new typeface they used in the book.
For the specific design of letters, use 'typeface' or 'font'.

type — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Type', 'kind', and 'sort' are the most common and often interchangeable in everyday conversation, with 'sort' being slightly more informal and more common in British English. 'Category' belongs to a more formal register and suggests a deliberate classification system — you would use it in academic writing or organised lists. 'Variety' differs from the others because it emphasises the range or diversity within a group rather than a single division: 'a type of flower' identifies one specific kind, while 'a variety of flowers' means many different kinds. For example, a botanist might say 'this rose is a type of climbing plant', whereas a gardener might boast about 'the variety of flowers in my garden'. Choose 'type' for neutral contexts, 'kind' for everyday speech, 'sort' when you want a slightly casual tone, 'category' for formal classification, and 'variety' when the focus is on diversity.

kind ↗sort ↗category ↗variety ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • type of person
  • type of thing
  • type of music
  • type of food
  • type of work
  • type of animal

Adverbs

Phrases

  • some type of
  • all types of
  • different types of
  • the same type of
  • what type of

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'type' entered English from Latin 'typus', which came from Greek 'typos' meaning 'a blow, a mark, a figure, or an impression'. In ancient Greece, 'typos' referred to the mark made by striking something — like a stamp or a coin die. This idea of an impressed mark later expanded to mean a model or pattern, and eventually the category of things that share that pattern. The printing sense (from the 15th century) connected back to the original meaning of an impressed mark, since printed letters are created by pressing inked type blocks onto paper. The verb meaning 'to write with a keyboard' emerged in the late 19th century alongside the typewriter.