stereotypical

ster·e·o·typ·i·cal
S1T1E1R1E1O1T1Y4P3I1C3A1L1
UK/ˌstɛɹ.iː.əˈtɪp.ɪ.kəl/UK/ˌstɪə̯-/UK/ˌstɪː-/Canada, US/ˌstɛɹ.i.əˈtɪp.ɪ.kəl/

adjective

Pertaining to a stereotype; conventional.

“I was disappointed by the stereotypical the-butler-did-it ending.”

Less commonScrabble 20

Meanings

adjectivestereotypical (comparative more stereotypical, superlative most stereotypical)

comparative more stereotypical · superlative most stereotypical

  1. Pertaining to a stereotype; conventional.

    There were a lot of young girls, in their early-twenties she guessed, many of them either Gothed up in thick black mascara and black lip stick, others looking like stereotypical Beat Girls in black rollnecks and jeans.

    2007, James Burr, Ugly Stories for Beautiful People, page 45
    1 more example

    A drag queen may not comfortably fit the stereotypical homesteader mold. In the 19th century, homesteaders were Western pioneers who built new lives from necessity; on TikTok, the most popular homesteaders are often parents with young families or those with a lifelong connection to the practice, which often include so-called “tradwives,” or women who play a stereotypically gendered role in their family.

    2025 March 30, Scottie Andrew, “Queer and trans homesteaders are conquering the social media frontier”, in CNN
  2. Banal, commonplace, and clichéd because of overuse.

    I was disappointed by the stereotypical the-butler-did-it ending.

  3. Relating to stereotypy.

    Tics are brief, stereotypical behaviors that are initiated by an unconscious urge that can be temporarily suppressed.

    2005, Lloyd J. Brown, Lee Todd Miller, Pediatrics, page 383

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivelacking spontaneity or originality or individuality

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ster-
  2. Ancient Greekστερεός (stereós)
  3. Frenchstéréo-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*(s)tew-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*(s)tewp-
  6. Proto-Hellenic*túpt͏̌ō
  7. Ancient Greekτῠ́πτω (tŭ́ptō)deverb.
  8. Ancient Greekτῠ́πος (tŭ́pos)
  9. Ecclesiastical Latintypu
  10. Frenchtype
  11. Frenchstéréotype
  12. Englishstereotype
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  15. Englishstereotypical

From stereotype + -ical.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan estereotípic
  • estereotípicpertaining to a stereotype
Dutch stereotiep, stereotiep
  • stereotieppertaining to a stereotype
  • stereotiepbanal
Finnish stereotyyppinen, stereotyyppinen
  • stereotyyppinenpertaining to a stereotype
  • stereotyyppinenbanal
  • stereotyyppinenrelating to stereotypy
French stéréotypé
  • stéréotypépertaining to a stereotype
Italian stereotipo, stereotipo
  • stereotipobanal
  • stereotiporelating to stereotypy
Spanish estereotípico, tópico
  • estereotípicopertaining to a stereotype
  • tópicopertaining to a stereotype
  • estereotipadobanal
  • manoseadobanal
  • gastadobanal
  • trilladobanal
Swedish stereotyp
  • stereotyppertaining to a stereotype

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with stereotypical

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

stereotypical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stereotypical

MLA

“stereotypical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stereotypical. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stereotypical,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stereotypical.

Source: stereotypical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.