typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈti-pi-kəl How to pronounce typical (audio)
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 noun
typicalness noun
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The house is typical of the modest cottages built in the area, with a front gable and adjacent porch over the main entry. Arkansas Online, 2 May 2025 Metal roofing: $17.48 (Home Depot) Metal roofing is easy to work with and is much more durable than typical roof shingles. Christopher Murray May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025 But changing the culture so that messages are confined to typical business hours can reinforce the message that employees have off hours. Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 The Lakers came back to briefly take the lead at the end of the third quarter, and even led by a point on a Doncic rainbow jumper with 6:29 remaining, but what ensued was typical of a team that had no idea how to play with their backs against the wall. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for typical

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of typical was in 1609

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Typical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typical. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

typical

adjective
typ·​i·​cal ˈtip-i-kəl How to pronounce typical (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce typical (audio)
: conforming to a type
a typical specimen
typical symptoms of a disease

More from Merriam-Webster on typical

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