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Stereotype Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

Britannica Dictionary definition of STEREOTYPE

[count]

:

an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic

  • racial/cultural stereotypes

  • the stereotype of the absentminded professor

— stereotypical

/ˌsterijəˈtɪpɪkəl/

adjective

[more stereotypical; most stereotypical]

  • a stereotypical representation/idea/approach

  • He's the stereotypical absentminded professor. [=he's a professor who is absentminded in the way that people often think of professors as being]

— stereotypically

/ˌsterijəˈtɪpɪkli/

adverb

Britannica Dictionary definition of STEREOTYPE

[+ object]

:

to believe unfairly that all people or things with a particular characteristic are the same

  • It's not fair to stereotype a whole group of people based on one person you don't like.

— stereotyped

/ˈsterijəˌtaɪpt/

adjective

  • a stereotyped representation/approach/character

  • stereotyped roles

— stereotyping

noun

[noncount]

  • ethnic/gender stereotyping