stereotypical

adjective

ste·​reo·​typ·​i·​cal ˌster-ē-ə-ˈti-pi-kəl 

1

or less commonly stereotypic

ˌster-ē-ə-ˈti-pik 

: conforming to a fixed or general pattern or type especially when of an oversimplified or prejudiced nature : of, relating to, or constituting a stereotype

Charlie Stuart represents a new breed of motorcyclists who are erasing the stereotypical black-leather-jacket, tough-guy image that plagued motorcyclists since the violent Hollywood productions of the Fifties.

—Sue Browder

His book concedes that progress has been made in a sheerly numerical sense, but it argues that overall the black presence on television has been an endless recycling of a passel of injuriously stereotypical images.

—John McWhorter

2

or stereotypic : of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy

a

medical : characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance

Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.

—Cori Urban

… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.

—Patricia N. Prinz et al.

b

veterinary medicine : characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior

Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting …

—Laura Smith

stereotypically

ˌster-ē-ə-ˈti-pi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

She wanted her staff to work together and get along. So on a hot July night, Katharine Graham did a stereotypically female thing: She threw a party.

—Judith M. Havemann

Examples of stereotypical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead of showing the stereotypical signs of autism, factors such as social motivation can make girls more likely to hide their struggles. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 21 Apr. 2025

When Pep Guardiola arrived in English soccer nearly a decade ago, his philosophy was often cast as the antithesis to the stereotypical blood and thunder tactics the country was known for. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025

The magazine saw itself as literary but not self-serious; if the stereotypical National Geographic story was a walk through the jungle recounted in hushed, awed tones, its Outside equivalent was a little dustier, wilder, and less reverent. —Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025

And in an episode dedicated to Astoria — a nice change of view — a stereotypical housewife from a TV coffee commercial materializes in her living room. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stereotypical

• prototypical
• atypical
• untypical
• typical

Medical Definition

stereotypical

adjective

ste·​reo·​typ·​i·​cal ˌster-ē-ə-ˈtip-i-kəl 

variants or stereotypic

-ik 

: of, relating to, or marked by stereotypy:

a

: characterized by frequent repetition of the same, typically purposeless movement, gesture, posture, or vocal sound or utterance

Other stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping and chewing on clothing or objects may be connected to sensory processing problems or anxiety.

—Cori Urban

… periodic leg movements during sleep, commonly known as nocturnal myoclonus—rapid, stereotypic, and periodic flexion of the legs and feet associated with repeated awakenings throughout the night.

—Patricia N. Prinz et al.

b

veterinary medicine : characterized by abnormal repetitive behavior

Many animals cope with unstimulating or small environments through stereotypic behavior … such as pacing, bar biting, and Gus' figure-eight swimming.

—Laura Smith

stereotypically

ˌster-ē-ə-ˈtip-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb