Stereotype STEREOTYPE, n. [Gr., fixed; type, form.]
1. Literally, a fixed metal type; hence, a plate of fixed or solid metallic types for printing books. Thus we say, a book is printed on stereotype, or in stereotype. In the latter use, the word seems rather to signify the workmanship or manner of printing, than the plate.
2. The art of making plates of fixed metallic types, or of executing work on such plates.
STEREOTYPE, a.
1. Pertaining to fixed metallic types.
2. Done on fixed metallic types, or plates of fixed types; as stereotype work; stereotype printing; a stereotype copy of the Bible.
STEREOTYPE, v.t. To make fixed metallic types or plates of type metal, corresponding with the words and letters of a book; to compose a book in fixed types; as, to stereotype the New Testament; certain societies have stereotyped the Bible.

stereotype n 1: a conventional or formulaic conception or image; "regional stereotypes have been part of America since its founding" v 1: treat or classify according to a mental stereotype; "I was stereotyped as a lazy Southern European" [syn: pigeonhole, stereotype, stamp]

stereotype I. transitive verb Date: 1804 1. to make a stereotype from 2. a. to repeat without variation ; make hackneyed b. to develop a mental stereotype about • stereotyper noun II. noun Etymology: French stéréotype, from stéré- stere- + type Date: 1817 1. a plate cast from a printing surface 2. something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment • stereotypical also stereotypic adjective • stereotypically adverb

stereotype
n. & v.
--n.
1 a a person or thing that conforms to an unjustifiably fixed, usu. standardized, mental picture. b such an impression or attitude.
2 a printing-plate cast from a mould of composed type.
--v.tr.
1 (esp. as stereotyped adj.) formalize, standardize; cause to conform to a type.
2 a print from a stereotype. b make a stereotype of.
Derivatives:
stereotypic adj. stereotypical adj. stereotypically adv. stereotypy n.
Etymology: F stéréotype (adj.) (as STEREO-, TYPE)

stereotype (stereotypes, stereotyping, stereotyped) 1. A stereotype is a fixed general image or set of characteristics that a lot of people believe represent a particular type of person or thing. Many men feel their body shape doesn't live up to the stereotype of the ideal man. N-COUNT 2. If someone is stereotyped as something, people form a fixed general idea or image of them, so that it is assumed that they will behave in a particular way. He was stereotyped by some as a rebel... I get very worked up about the way women are stereotyped in a lot of mainstream films... VERB: usu passive, be V-ed as n, be V-ed

stereotype ˈstɪərɪətaɪp n. & v. --n. 1 a a person or thing that conforms to an unjustifiably fixed, usu. standardized, mental picture. b such an impression or attitude. 2 a printing-plate cast from a mould of composed type. --v.tr. 1 (esp. as stereotyped adj.) formalize, standardize; cause to conform to a type. 2 a print from a stereotype. b make a stereotype of. øøstereotypic adj. stereotypical adj. stereotypically adv. stereotypy n. [F st÷r÷otype (adj.) (as STEREO-, TYPE)]

Stereotype \Ste"re*o*type\, n. [Stereo- + -type: cf. F. st['e]r['e]otype.] 1. A plate forming an exact faximile of a page of type or of an engraving, used in printing books, etc.; specifically, a plate with type-metal face, used for printing. Note: A stereotype, or stereotypr plate, is made by setting movable type as for ordinary printing; from these a cast is taken in plaster of Paris, paper pulp, or the like, and upon this cast melted type metal is poured, which, when hardened, makes a solid page or column, from which the impression is taken as from type. 2. The art or process of making such plates, or of executing work by means of them. Stereotype block, a block, usually of wood, to which a stereotype plate is attached while being used in printing.

Stereotype \Ste"re*o*type\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stereotyped; p. pr. & vb. n. Stereotyping.] [Cf. F. st['e]r['e]otyper.] 1. To prepare for printing in stereotype; to make the stereotype plates of; as, to stereotype the Bible. 2. Fig.: To make firm or permanent; to fix. Powerful causes tending to stereotype and aggravate the poverty of old conditions. --Duke of Argyll (1887).

88 Moby Thesaurus words for "stereotype": assimilate to, automatism, autotype, bad habit, balance, bed, characteristic, confirm, creature of habit, custom, damp, deep-dye, define, duplicate plate, electrotype, embed, engraft, engrave, entrench, equalize, equilibrize, establish, etch, even, fix, flatten, force of habit, found, ground, habit, habit pattern, habitude, harmonize, homogenize, impact, implant, impress, imprint, infix, ingrain, inscribe, jam, keyboard, level, linotype, locked-up page, lodge, make uniform, monotype, normalize, pack, palaeotype, pattern, peculiarity, plant, plastic plate, plate, practice, praxis, print, printing plate, printing surface, regularize, regulate, root, rubber plate, seat, second nature, set, set in, settle, smooth, stabilize, stamp, standardize, stereotyped behavior, stone, symmetrize, trick, typeform, uniformize, usage, use, way, wedge, wont, zincograph, zincotype

look up a word or phrase