Words / C1

STER-ee-uh-typ/ˈsteriətaɪp/

A stereotype is a fixed, oversimple label for a type: a stereotype of students, challenge a stereotype. Stereotypical is the adjective. Cliché is an overused phrase; archetype is a deeper original pattern. Do not treat a stereotype as evidence.

Meaning

A fixed, oversimple idea of a type of person or thing.

Examples

• “The stereotype of the “lazy undergraduate” did not fit the night-class data.”
• “The night-class numbers broke the stereotype of the “lazy undergraduate”.”
• “A cliché is tired wording; a stereotype is a tired idea about people.”

Good to know

A lazy, fixed label for a group. Adjective: stereotypical. Phrase cousin: cliché. Deeper pattern: archetype. Not data.

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