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typical

typical

843 1.0
Having the usual qualities of a person, thing, or group
  • adjective
  • /ˈtɪpɪkəl/
translation icon : típico
  • So it's a typical sample of a typical mantle basalt.
  • typical reading
  • a typical adult
  • typical reading scores

It's not your typical Red Bull film.

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Examples

  • So I'm going to be going through some typical British snacks.

  • In many regards, Greensburg, Kansas, is a typical small, rural, American town.

    Academic text (2011)
  • What you see here is a typical team in our program.

  • Five things you might find in a typical student's bedroom.

  • But there was a time that this was a typical day for these guys.

  • For the first three sets of patterns, cases presented are typical of people in each group.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Some spend more than forty hours in a typical week on these activities!

    Academic text (2011)
  • OK, this is like the typical perceptions people have.

  • Well, Uncle Ken, Junior's not like your typical Prestige crowd.

  • A typical winter in this region brings heavy snow and cold temperatures.

Synonyms

average
vstypical
1.0

Ordinary and not very good

refers more to normal or representative qualities than a statistical midpoint
usual
vstypical
1.0

Happening most of the time in a normal way

covers shared characteristics across members rather than frequency alone
common
vstypical
797 1.0

Happening often or seen in many places

highlights representative qualities rather than mere frequency
ordinary
vstypical
683 1.0

Normal and not special or unusual

points to the shared, characteristic qualities that define the category
routine
vstypical
263 1.0

Happening as a usual part of daily life

relates to general characteristic qualities rather than habitual events
commonplace
vstypical
54 3.4

Ordinary and not special or new

focuses on characteristic qualities that define the group rather than blandness
representative
vstypical
54 4.6

Having the usual qualities of a group

is about shared, usual qualities across members rather than a single example
characteristic
vstypical
49 3.8

Typical of a person, place, or thing, showing its usual features

focuses instead on the common, expected qualities of the group
normal
vstypical
35 1.0

The usual or expected state

emphasizes common characteristics rather than formal standards
garden variety
vstypical
  • Informal
20 3.5

Common and not special or unusual

is about representative or normal qualities, not only plainness
archetypal
vstypical
11 6.8

A very typical example showing the main features of something

is concerned with ordinary shared traits rather than an ideal instance
prototypical
vstypical
7 6.8

A typical example that other things are made like

describes common or expected traits rather than an original model
archetypical
vstypical
1 7.5

A very typical example of a person or thing that others copy

refers to general, normal qualities not necessarily the classic model
4.4

Ordinary and not special, like a simple jacket you can buy anywhere

describes shared, defining qualities rather than informal lack of uniqueness

Antonyms

27 5.7

Different from what is usual or expected

Compounds

9.9

A small rodent active at night that jumps with long hind legs in Asian and North African deserts

How Typical

typical
843 1.0

Surface Forms

typical positive
typicaler comparative
typicalest superlative

Morphology

typical = type (transparent) = typ + ical

The adjective is formed by adding the productive suffix '-ical' to the noun 'type', giving the sense 'of or relating to a type', which is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

Typical comes from the Greek root typos, which meant a 'model' or 'pattern', and it is the same root as the common word type. So when something is typical, it follows the usual 'model' or has the normal qualities of its kind.