type

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: 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 Date: 15th century 1. 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 2. a distinctive mark or sign 3. a. (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

> b. typeface <

italic type

> c. printed letters d. matter set in type 4. a. qualities common to a number of individuals that distinguish them as an identifiable class: 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 b. a typical and often superior specimen c. a member of an indicated class or variety of people <

the guests were mostly urban types — Lucy Cook

> d. a particular kind, class, or group <

oranges of the seedless type

> <

leaders of the new type…did England yeoman's service — G. M. Trevelyan

> e. something distinguishable as a variety ; sort <

what type of food do you like?

> Synonyms: 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

>. II. verb (typed; typing) Date: 1596 transitive verb 1. to represent beforehand as a type ; prefigure 2. a. to produce a copy of b. to represent in terms of typical characteristics ; typify 3. to produce (as a character or document) using a keyboard (as on a typewriter or computer); also keyboard 4. to identify as belonging to a type: as a. to determine the natural type of (as a blood sample) b. typecast intransitive verb to write something on a typewriter or enter data into a computer by way of a keyboard • typeable adjective