typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈti-pi-kəl 

1

a

: combining or exhibiting the essential characteristics of a group

typical suburban houses

b

: conforming to a type

a specimen typical of the species

2

: constituting or having the nature of a type : symbolic

typicality

ˌti-pə-ˈka-lə-tē 

noun

typicalness

ˈti-pi-kəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• archetypal
• archetypical
• average
• characteristic
• normal
• regular
• representative
• standard
• true

Choose the Right Synonym for typical

regular, normal, typical, natural mean being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average.

regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

Examples of typical in a Sentence

It was his typical response.

It was a typical Saturday night for us.

We wanted him to have the typical college experience of living on campus.

Recent Examples on the Web

There are still a few typical Grammy picks (congrats, Common & Pete Rock), but overall, the rap field hasn’t looked this fresh in years. —Justin Curto, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024

According to Goldy, a manager dressed in a floor-length silver-gray pleather gown, a typical selection at W Salon is at least $2,000. —Talia Lavin, Curbed, 7 Nov. 2024

The co-operative spirit was typical of the first day of the market, which boasts 101 exhibitor booths and over 300 international professionals, media, and buyers from 30 countries, according to the latest data from market officials. —Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024

That's because tariffs are essentially sales taxes paid by U.S. consumers, with the typical household paying about $1,700 more each year in additional costs, according to one estimate. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin typicalis, from typicus, from Greek typikos, from typos model — more at type entry 1

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈtip-i-kəl 

: combining or showing the special characteristics of a group or kind

a typical school lunch

typically

-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈtip-i-kəl 

: conforming to a type

a typical specimen

typical symptoms of a disease