typify

/ˌtɪpəˈfaɪ/

Other forms: typified; typifies; typifying

To typify is to represent what is typical of something or someone. You might say that screaming and door slamming typify your spoiled cousin if that kind of behavior is exactly the kind of thing she usually does.

Something that's characteristic of a group of people typifies them. You might observe, for example, that studying late on a Friday night typifies your college friends who are math majors. You could also say that sunny days and cool nights typify autumn in New England, since that's the typical weather for that particular place and time. The root word is Greek — typos, which means "dent, impression, mark, figure, or original form."

Definitions of typify

1. verb

   embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of
   “The fugue typifies Bach's style of composition”

   synonyms: epitomise, epitomize

   type of:

   emblematize, represent, stand for, symbolise, symbolize

   express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol
2. verb

   express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol
   synonyms: emblematize, represent, stand for, symbolise, symbolize

   types:

   be, embody, personify

   represent, as of a character on stage

   epitomise, epitomize

   embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of

   body, personify

   invest with or as with a body; give body to

   exemplify, represent

   be characteristic of

   type of:

   intend, mean

   mean or intend to express or convey