stereotype

UK: /ˈstɛriətaɪp/

US: /ˈstɛriəˌtaɪp, ˈstɪr-/

US: (ster′ē ə tīp′, stēr′-)

Inflections of 'stereotype' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

stereotypes

v 3rd person singular

stereotyping

v pres p

stereotyped

v past

stereotyped

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ster•e•o•type /ˈstɛriəˌtaɪp, ˈstɪr-/   n., v., -typed, -typ•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. Printing a process for making printing plates by taking a mold of type;
   a plate made this way.
2. Sociology an idea, expression, etc., of no originality or inventiveness.
3. Sociology an overly simplified way of thinking about a person, group, etc.:
   Society has certain stereotypes of the mentally retarded.

v. [~ + object]

4. Printing, Sociology to make a stereotype of:
   a tendency to stereotype ethnic groups.

ster•e•o•typed, adj.: 

a stereotyped view of homeless people.

See -type-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ster•e•o•type  (ster′ē ə tīp′, stēr′-), n., v., -typed, -typ•ing. 
n. 

1. Printing a process, now often replaced by more advanced methods, for making metal printing plates by taking a mold of composed type or the like in papier-mâché or other material and then taking from this mold a cast in type metal.
2. Printing a plate made by this process.
3. Sociology a set form; convention.
4. Sociology a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group:
   The cowboy and Indian are American stereotypes.

v.t. 

5. Printing, Sociology to make a stereotype of.
6. Sociology to characterize or regard as a stereotype:
   The actor has been stereotyped as a villain.
7. Sociology to give a fixed form to.

• stereo- + -type 1790–1800

ster′e•o•typ′er, ster′e•o•typ′ist, n. 
ster•e•o•typ•ic  (ster′ē ə tip′ik, stēr′-), ster′e•o•typ′i•cal, adj.  Synonyms

• 6. . categorize, type, identify.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stereotype / ˈstɛrɪəˌtaɪp ˈstɪər-/ noun

1. a method of producing cast-metal printing plates from a mould made from a forme of type matter in papier-mâché or some other material
2. the plate so made
3. a variant of stereotypy
4. an idea, trait, convention, etc, that has grown stale through fixed usage
5. a set of inaccurate, simplistic generalizations about a group that allows others to categorize them and treat them accordingly

verb (transitive)

1. to make a stereotype of
2. to print from a stereotype
3. to impart a fixed usage or convention to

ˈstereoˌtyper, ˈstereoˌtypist noun