/ taɪp; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] type (of sth) a class or group of people or things that share particular qualities or features and are part of a larger group; a kind or sort :
different racial types
a rare blood type
There are three main types of contract(s).
Bungalows are a type of house.
She mixes with all types of people.
She mixes with people of all types.
I love this type of book.
I love these types of books.
( informal )
I love these type of books.
What do you charge for this type of work?
What do you charge for work of this type?
It is the first car of its type to have this design feature.
2.
[ sing. ] ( informal ) a person of a particular character, with particular features, etc. :
She's the artistic type.
He's not the type to be unfaithful.
She's not my type (= not the kind of person I am usually attracted to) .
3.
-type (in adjectives) having the qualities or features of the group, person or thing mentioned :
a police-type badge
a continental-type cafe
4.
[ U ] letters that are printed or typed :
The type was too small for me to read.
The important words are in bold type.
■ verb
1.
to write sth using a computer or typewriter :
[ v ]
How fast can you type?
typing errors
[ vn ]
This letter will need to be typed (out) again.
Type (in) the filename, then press 'Return'.
Has that report been typed up yet?
2.
[ vn ] ( technical ) to find out the group or class that a person or thing belongs to :
Blood samples were taken from patients for typing.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent. (in the sense symbol, emblem ): from French , or from Latin typus , from Greek tupos impression, figure, type, from tuptein to strike. The use in printing dates from the early 18th cent.; the general sense category with common characteristics arose in the mid 19th cent.