INDEX:
1. a typical person or thing
2. typical behaviour or qualities
3. to be a typical example of someone or something
4. not typical
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ USUALLY
↑ NORMAL/ORDINARY
↑ UNUSUAL
◆◆◆
1. a typical person or thing
▷ typical /ˈtɪpɪk ə l/ [adjective]
▪ With his shorts and camera around his neck, he looked like a typical tourist.
▪ ‘Is there a typical New York breakfast?’ ‘Bagels and coffee.’
▪ On a typical day, the president receives more than 4,500 letters.
▪ a typical American diner, with twangy-voiced waitresses and vinyl booths
typical of
▪ This painting is typical of Manet’s portraits of Morisot - a beautiful woman, gazing sadly out at the viewer.
typically [adverb]
▪ Everyone admired his typically Greek fearlessness when dealing with any official.
▷ representative /ˌreprɪˈzentətɪv/ [adjective] formal
someone or something that is representative of the group that they belong to is typical of it, and shows what the others in the group are like :
representative of
▪ These paintings are representative of the kind of work being done by young artists nowadays.
▪ Would you say that his views were representative of the majority of French voters?
representative sample
▪ For our survey we asked a representative sample of voters to give us their opinions.
▷ archetypal /ˈɑːʳkɪtaɪp ə l/ [adjective usually before noun]
the archetypal person or thing is the most typical example of that kind of person or thing, and has all their most important qualities :
▪ Indiana Jones is the archetypal adventure hero.
▪ the archetypal pushy Hollywood mother
archetype [countable noun]
▪ Merlin is the archetype of the Wise Old Man.
▷ classic /ˈklæsɪk/ [adjective usually before noun]
a classic example of something is a very typical and very good example of it :
classic of
▪ The misunderstanding was nobody’s fault and was a classic example of bad communication.
▪ The invention of the X-ray was a classic case of discovering something by accident.
▪ She made the classic mistake of trying to drive away without releasing the hand brake.
▷ textbook case/example /ˈtekstbʊk ˌkeɪs, ɪgˌzɑːmp ə lǁ-ɪgˌzæm-/ [countable noun]
a situation in which things happen in a very typical and expected way :
textbook case/example of
▪ The Apple Computer company was a textbook case for business schools about how two guys working out of a garage could change the world.
▪ This is a textbook example of how Hollywood undermines its best ideas, by insisting on happy endings, even when they are completely implausible.
▷ stereotype /ˈsteriətaɪp/ [countable noun]
a fixed idea which most people have in their minds about what people of a particular type or from a particular country are like, but which is not actually true :
▪ The film is full of stereotypes: a stupid blonde, a fat American tourist, and a gay man with huge muscles.
stereotype of
▪ Charles quite plainly did not fit the stereotype of a successful, high powered businessman.
racial/sexual stereotype
▪ They rejected the sexual stereotype of blue for a boy and pink for a girl, and dressed their baby in other colors instead.
▪ the racial stereotype of Asian girls as quiet and hard-working
stereotypical /ˌsteriəˈtɪpɪk ə l◂/ [adjective]
▪ Some people find his novels offensive because of the stereotypical black people he portrays.
2. typical behaviour or qualities
▷ typical /ˈtɪpɪk ə l/ [adjective]
behaviour or actions that are typical of a person are just what you usually expect them to do, especially when this is something bad or annoying :
▪ ‘Dad forgot to mail the letter.’ ‘That’s just typical!’
▪ Mrs Quilley greeted the guests with typical charm and confidence.
▪ This is typical adolescent behaviour - part of the process of becoming independent from your parents.
it is typical of somebody to do something
▪ It’s typical of Ramon to waste time when he knows we’re already late.
typically [adverb]
▪ Aunt Lilly’s gifts were typically generous, and reflected her impeccable taste.
▷ characteristic /ˌkærɪktəˈrɪstɪk◂, ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk◂/ [adjective]
very typical of a particular type of thing, or of someone’s character or usual behaviour :
▪ Each species of bird has its own characteristic song.
▪ Larry, with characteristic generosity, invited everyone back to his house.
characteristic of
▪ This pattern is characteristic of the local architecture.
characteristically [adverb]
▪ Mrs Bhalla started to apologise in her characteristically nervous manner.
▷ just what you’d expect /ˌdʒʌst wɒt juːd ɪkˈspekt/ [adjective phrase]
if you say that something is just what you’d expect, you mean that it is exactly what your idea of someone makes you expect them to do :
▪ Jenny’s house is very clean and neat, just what you’d expect.
▪ He was annoyed, but he soon got over it -- just what you’d expect, in fact.
▷ be just like /biː ˌdʒʌst ˈlaɪk/ [verb phrase]
if you say that someone’s action or behaviour is just like them, you mean that it is typical of them in a way that annoys you :
▪ You have left everything to the last minute. That’s just like you.
it is just like somebody to do something
▪ It’s just like Uncle Roy to invite us all to lunch and then forget to tell Aunt Sarah.
▪ It would be just like my son to get the measles twice.
▷ that’s somebody all over /ðæts somebody ɔːl ˈəʊvəʳ/ [phrase]
used for saying that you are not surprised that someone has done something or behaved in a particular way, because it’s the kind of thing they often do :
▪ He was late, of course, but that’s Tim all over.
▪ ‘That’s Dora all over,’ interrupted Rose with a sniff. ‘Once she gets an idea into her head, nothing will stop her.’
▷ true to form /ˌtruː tə ˈfɔːʳm/ [adverb]
if you say that someone does something true to form you mean it is very typical of them, especially when it is something annoying :
▪ True to form, Oliver turned up late and drunk.
▪ They promised to pay by Friday and yes, true to form, the money didn’t arrive till Wednesday.
▷ would /wʊd/ [modal verb]
you say someone would do something when they do something that is typical of them and you want to criticize them for it :
▪ ‘Janice is going to be late for the meeting.’ ‘She would be!’
▪ ‘And then Harry got drunk.’ ‘He would do, wouldn’t he!’
▷ the inevitable /ði ɪˈnevə̇təb ə l/ [adjective phrase only before noun]
usual and expected for a particular person or type of person or a situation - you can often use this in humorous contexts :
▪ It was a typical student’s room with the inevitable Van Gogh print on the wall.
▪ Dinner started with the inevitable chicken soup.
▪ In the subway I got cornered by the inevitable drunkard wanting to give me some advice.
▷ be in character /biː ɪn ˈkærə̇ktəʳ/ [verb phrase]
an action or remark that is in character is typical of someone’s character :
▪ Julie said that? That doesn’t seem to be in character at all.
▪ His reaction was quite in character. The man had no respect for education, and it was no surprise when he took his son out of school.
3. to be a typical example of someone or something
▷ be a good/excellent/perfect etc example /biː ə ˌgʊd ɪgˈzɑːmp ə lǁ-ˈzæm-/ [verb phrase]
something that is a good, excellent, or perfect example of a group or type of thing, has all the usual and typical qualities of that group or type :
▪ There are many beautiful Norman churches in this part of England. Iffley church is a good example.
▪ If you want to know how not to make a video, this is a perfect example!
▪ France produces some of the world’s best dessert wines, and this is an excellent example.
be a good/excellent/perfect etc example of
▪ The fox is a good example of a wild animal that has adapted to living in towns.
▷ characterize also characterise British /ˈkærɪktəraɪz, ˈkærəktəraɪz/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to be typical of a person, place, or thing :
▪ We approached the big empty square that characterizes the centre of Chinese cities.
▪ Bright, vibrant colors characterize his paintings.
▪ Robinson’s photographs are characterized by the intense contrasts of dark and light areas, and the consequent loss of detail.
▷ typify /ˈtɪpɪfaɪ, ˈtɪpəfaɪ/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to be a typical example of a type of person, thing, attitude, or situation :
▪ This letter typifies his loyalty and consideration.
▪ Burke’s arrogance seems to typify this government’s approach.
▪ Mrs Maugham’s attitude towards the television typified her whole moral outlook.
▷ epitomize also epitomise British /ɪˈpɪtəmaɪz/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to be the most typical example of a type of person, thing, attitude or situation :
▪ His poems epitomize the feelings of the generation of soldiers that fought in World War I.
▪ The auto assembly line epitomizes the conditions that contribute to employee dissatisfaction.
▷ be the epitome of /biː ði ɪˈpɪtəmi ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to be the best possible example of a particular type of person or thing or of a particular quality :
▪ Christine’s clothes are the epitome of good taste.
▪ With her neat hair and her flat, sensible shoes, she was the epitome of the traditional librarian.
▷ personify /pəʳˈsɒnɪfaɪ, pəʳˈsɒnəfaɪǁ-ˈsɑː-/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
if someone personifies a particular quality, they are the perfect example of someone who has that quality :
▪ The little boy seemed to personify the poverty and famine of his country.
▪ To the school children, kindness and beauty were personified by their teacher Miss Appleby.
4. not typical
▷ atypical /eɪˈtɪpɪk ə l/ [adjective]
belonging to a type or group, but not having the usual qualities of that type or group :
▪ Such letters of complaint are atypical; the foundation usually receives nothing but praise and admiration for our work.
atypical of
▪ This bird is atypical of most species here in that it does not build a nest.
▷ uncharacteristic /ˌʌnkærɪktəˈrɪstɪk, ˌʌnkærəktəˈrɪstɪk/ [adjective]
not typical of a situation or of someone’s character, and therefore surprising :
▪ It was summer and despite the uncharacteristic chill in the air, the tourists were swarming the beaches.
▪ With uncharacteristic modesty, Will explained his contribution to the development of the film medium.
uncharacteristically [adverb]
▪ In the morning Narendra was uncharacteristically quiet, and I asked her what was wrong.
▷ not be like/be unlike /nɒt biː ˈlaɪk, biː ʌnˈlaɪk/ [verb phrase]
if you say it is not like someone or is unlike them to do something, you mean it is not typical of them to behave in that way, and it is strange or surprising :
▪ Cheer up Maria. It isn’t like you to be as depressed as this.
▪ It’s unlike him to drink so much - I hope he is all right.
▪ I don’t understand why Mr Beanie is being so nice today -- it’s just not like him.
▷ be out of character /biː ˌaʊt əv ˈkærə̇ktəʳ/ [verb phrase]
an action which is out of character is not typical of someone’s character and usual behaviour :
▪ I can’t believe Andrew wrote this letter -- it seems so out of character.
▪ ‘Jane never said a word all morning.’ ‘That sounds very out of character to me.’
▷ untypical /ʌnˈtɪpɪk ə l/ [adjective]
not typical of the usual behaviour of a person or group :
▪ The train’s 20-minute delay, my Japanese friend informed me, was most untypical.
▪ For some reason, and with untypical boldness, she took a step forward and walked into the room.
untypical of
▪ The solemn tone of this story is untypical of her usual style.