noun
stereotype
STEH-ree-uh-typ
noun
1
An oversimplified, fixed idea about a whole group of people, often unfair or inaccurate.
"The film leans on a lazy stereotype about small-town life."
"She refused to fit the stereotype people expected of her."
verb
1
To judge or portray someone based on an oversimplified idea of the group they belong to, rather than as an individual.
"The article was criticized for stereotyping an entire profession."
How to Use Stereotype
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA generalized, often unfair label applied to a whole group, or the act of applying one.
Common mistake
It's almost always negative or reductive — don't use it as a neutral synonym for "type" or "category."
Common pairings
fit the stereotype
break the stereotype
negative stereotype
Word Forms
stereotyped past tense, stereotypes plural, stereotypes singular
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The film leans on a lazy _____ about small-town life.
Etymology
Borrowed from French stéréotype, originally a printing term for a solid metal plate; the "oversimplified idea about a group" sense dates to Walter Lippmann's 1922 book Public Opinion.