Type vs. Kind — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 30, 2023
"Type" often refers to a category with distinct characteristics, while "Kind" denotes a broad category or variety.
Difference Between Type and Kind
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Key Differences
"Type" is a term that frequently points to a specific category or classification based on certain attributes. For instance, considering computers, there are different types based on functionality like laptops, desktops, and tablets. "Kind", however, leans more towards a general grouping, indicating a broader category or variety. In the context of computers, one might say there are various kinds of computing devices available.
In some contexts, "Type" can suggest a more technical or specific classification. When discussing blood, we refer to "blood types" such as A, B, AB, and O. "Kind" would be more general; thus, one might speak about different kinds of tissues in the human body, encompassing blood, muscle, and connective tissues.
It's also worth noting that while "Type" often implies a systematic or methodological classification, "Kind" can also convey a sense of empathy or compassion. Saying "She's a kind person" showcases this emotional aspect which isn't typical with "Type".
In everyday speech, "Type" and "Kind" can often be used interchangeably without causing much confusion. For example, asking "What type of movie do you like?" and "What kind of movie do you like?" will both be understood by native speakers.
However, the precision between "Type" and "Kind" becomes evident in specialized fields or contexts. Scientists might differentiate between types of a certain species, while "Kind" could refer to broader categorizations like species, genus, or family.
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Comparison Chart
Classification
Specific category based on attributes.
General grouping or variety.
Typical Usage
More technical or methodological.
Broader, can have emotional connotation.
Scope
Narrower, defined.
Wider, more encompassing.
Interchangeability
Often interchangeable in everyday speech.
Often interchangeable in everyday speech.
Example
Blood types: A, B, AB, O.
Different kinds of tissues: blood, muscle, connective.
Compare with Definitions
Type
A classification based on particular characteristics.
What's your blood type?
Kind
A good-hearted nature; compassionate.
She has a kind heart.
Type
Printed characters or letters.
The document was set in bold type.
Kind
A group of people or things having similar characteristics
More data of this kind would be valuable
All kinds of music
Type
The inherent nature of something.
He's not the type to lie.
Kind
Each of the elements (bread and wine) of the Eucharist
Communion in both kinds
Type
A category of people or things having common characteristics
Blood types
This type of heather grows better in a drier habitat
Kind
Having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature
He was very kind to me
She was a good, kind woman
Type
A person or thing exemplifying the ideal or defining characteristics of something
She characterized his witty sayings as the type of modern wisdom
Kind
Having or showing a friendly, generous, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature.
Type
Characters or letters that are printed or shown on a screen
Bold type
Kind
Agreeable or beneficial
A dry climate kind to asthmatics.
Type
A design on either side of a medal or coin.
Kind
A group of individuals or instances sharing common traits; a category or sort
Different kinds of furniture.
A new kind of politics.
Type
An abstract category or class of linguistic item or unit, as distinct from actual occurrences in speech or writing.
Kind
A doubtful or borderline member of a given category
Fashioned a kind of shelter.
A kind of bluish color.
Type
Write (something) on a typewriter or computer by pressing the keys
He typed out the second draft
I'm learning to type
Kind
Underlying character as a determinant of the class to which a thing belongs; nature or essence.
Type
Determine the type to which (a person or their blood or tissue) belongs
The kidney was typed
Kind
The natural order or course of things; nature.
Type
A number of people or things having in common traits or characteristics that distinguish them as a group or class:That type of car was popular in the 1970s. See Synonyms at kind.
Kind
Manner or fashion.
Type
A person or thing having the features of a group or class:He is the type of person that is bound to get into trouble.
Kind
Lineal ancestry or descent.
Type
An example or a model having the ideal features of a group or class; an embodiment:"He was the perfect type of a military dandy"(Joyce Cary).
Kind
Lineal ancestors or descendants considered as a group.
Type
A person regarded as exemplifying a particular profession, rank, or social group:a group of executive types; a restaurant frequented by tourist types.
Kind
A type, race or category; a group of entities that have common characteristics such that they may be grouped together.
What kind of a person are you?
This is a strange kind of tobacco.
Type
A figure, representation, or symbol of something to come, such as an event in the Old Testament that is believed to foreshadow another in the New Testament.
Kind
A makeshift or otherwise atypical specimen.
The opening served as a kind of window.
Type
(Biology)The type specimen, type species, or type genus, which serves as the basis for the name of a species, genus, or family.
Kind
(archaic) One's inherent nature; character, natural disposition.
Type
A small block of metal or wood bearing a raised letter or character on the upper end that leaves a printed impression when inked and pressed on paper.
Kind
(archaic) Family, lineage.
Type
Such pieces considered as a group.
Kind
(archaic) Manner.
Type
Printed or typewritten characters; print:Let's see how your letter looks in type.
Kind
Goods or services used as payment, as e.g. in barter.
Type
A size or style of printed or typewritten characters; a typeface:a sans-serif type.
Kind
Equivalent means used as response to an action.
I'll pay in kind for his insult.
Type
A pattern, a design, or an image impressed or stamped onto the face of a coin.
Kind
(Christianity) Each of the two elements of the communion service, bread and wine.
Type
To write (something) using a typewriter.
Kind
Having a benevolent, courteous, friendly, generous, gentle, liberal, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature or disposition, marked by consideration for – and service to – others.
Type
To input (something) manually on an electronic device, especially by using a keyboard.
Kind
Affectionate.
A kind man; a kind heart
Type
To assign to a category; classify or characterize:a political candidate who was typed as indecisive.
Kind
Favorable.
Type
To determine the antigenic characteristics of (a blood or tissue sample).
Kind
Mild, gentle, forgiving
The years have been kind to Richard Gere; he ages well.
Type
To typecast:an actor afraid of being typed as a gangster.
Kind
Gentle; tractable; easily governed.
A horse kind in harness
Type
To write with a typewriter or computer keyboard.
Kind
(obsolete) Characteristic of the species; belonging to one's nature; natural; native.
Type
A grouping based on shared characteristics; a class.
This type of plane can handle rough weather more easily than that type of plane.
Kind
Characteristic of the species; belonging to one's nature; natural; native.
It becometh sweeter than it should be, and loseth the kind taste.
Type
An individual considered typical of its class, one regarded as typifying a certain profession, environment, etc.
Kind
Having feelings befitting our common nature; congenial; sympathetic; as, a kind man; a kind heart.
Yet was he kind, or if severe in aught,The love he bore to learning was his fault.
Type
An individual that represents the ideal for its class; an embodiment.
Kind
Showing tenderness or goodness; disposed to do good and confer happiness; averse to hurting or paining; benevolent; benignant; gracious.
He is kind unto the unthankful and to evil.
O cruel Death, to those you take more kindThan to the wretched mortals left behind.
A fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind.
Type
A letter or character used for printing, historically a cast or engraved block.
Kind
Proceeding from, or characterized by, goodness, gentleness, or benevolence; as, a kind act.
Type
(uncountable) Such types collectively, or a set of type of one font or size.
Kind
Gentle; tractable; easily governed; as, a horse kind in harness.
Type
Text printed with such type, or imitating its characteristics.
The headline was set in bold type.
Kind
Nature; natural instinct or disposition.
He knew by kind and by no other lore.
Some of you, on pure instinct of nature,Are led by kind t'admire your fellow-creature.
Type
(taxonomy) Something, often a specimen, selected as an objective anchor to connect a scientific name to a taxon; this need not be representative or typical.
Kind
Race; genus; species; generic class; as, in mankind or humankind.
Every kind of beasts, and of birds.
She follows the law of her kind.
Here to sow the seed of bread,That man and all the kinds be fed.
Type
Preferred sort of person; sort of person that one is attracted to.
We can't get along: he's just not my type.
He was exactly her type.
Kind
Sort; type; class; nature; style; character; fashion; manner; variety; description; as, there are several kinds of eloquence, of style, and of music; many kinds of government; various kinds of soil, etc.
How diversely Love doth his pageants play,And snows his power in variable kinds !
There is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
Diogenes was asked in a kind of scorn: What was the matter that philosophers haunted rich men, and not rich men philosophers?
Tax on tillage was often levied in kind upon corn.
Type
(medicine) A blood group.
Kind
To beget.
Type
(corpus linguistics) A word that occurs in a text or corpus irrespective of how many times it occurs, as opposed to a token.
Kind
A category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality;
Sculpture is a form of art
What kinds of desserts are there?
Type
(theology) An event or person that prefigures or foreshadows a later event - commonly an Old Testament event linked to Christian times.
Kind
Having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior;
Kind to sick patients
A kind master
Kind words showing understanding and sympathy
Thanked her for her kind letter
Type
(computing theory) A tag attached to variables and values used in determining which kinds of value can be used in which situations; a data type.
Kind
Liberal;
Kind words of praise
Type
(fine arts) The original object, or class of objects, scene, face, or conception, which becomes the subject of a copy; especially, the design on the face of a medal or a coin.
Kind
Conducive to comfort; beneficial;
The genial sunshine
A kind climate
Hot summer pavements are anything but kind to the feet
Type
(chemistry) A simple compound, used as a mode or pattern to which other compounds are conveniently regarded as being related, and from which they may be actually or theoretically derived.
The fundamental types used to express the simplest and most essential chemical relations are hydrochloric acid, water, ammonia, and methane.
Kind
Expressing sympathy
Type
(mathematics) A part of the partition of the object domain of a logical theory (which due to the existence of such partition, would be called a typed theory). (Note: this corresponds to the notion of "data type" in computing theory.)
Categorial grammar is like a combination of context-free grammar and types.
Kind
Characterized by mercy, and compassion;
Compassionate toward disadvantaged people
Kind to animals
A humane judge
Type
A symbol, emblem, or example of something.
Kind
Agreeable;
A dry climate kind to asthmatics
Type
To put text on paper using a typewriter.
Kind
Helpful to other people;
Helping an old lady with her bundles was his kind deed for the day
Type
To enter text or commands into a computer using a keyboard.
Kind
Tolerant and forgiving under provocation;
Our neighbor was very kind about the window our son broke
Type
To determine the blood type of.
The doctor ordered the lab to type the patient for a blood transfusion.
Kind
Showing consideration and anticipation of needs;
It was thoughtful of you to bring flowers
A neighbor showed thoughtful attention
Type
To represent by a type, model, or symbol beforehand; to prefigure.
Kind
Generously responsive;
Good-hearted but inept efforts to help
Take a kindly interest
A kindly gentleman
An openhearted gift to charity
Type
To furnish an expression or copy of; to represent; to typify.
Kind
A group with similar characteristics.
There are various kinds of fruit in the bowl.
Type
To categorize into types.
Kind
A sort or variety of things.
What kind of music do you prefer?
Type
The mark or impression of something; stamp; impressed sign; emblem.
The faith they have in tennis, and tall stockings,Short blistered breeches, and those types of travel.
Kind
Inherent nature or character of something.
Cruelty is not in her kind.
Type
Form or character impressed; style; semblance.
Thy father bears the type of king of Naples.
Kind
A natural or inherent feature.
Birds of a different kind.
Type
A figure or representation of something to come; a token; a sign; a symbol; - correlative to antitype.
A type is no longer a type when the thing typified comes to be actually exhibited.
Type
That which possesses or exemplifies characteristic qualities; the representative.
Since the time of Cuvier and Baer . . . the whole animal kingdom has been universally held to be divisible into a small number of main divisions or types.
Type
The original object, or class of objects, scene, face, or conception, which becomes the subject of a copy; esp., the design on the face of a medal or a coin.
Type
A raised letter, figure, accent, or other character, cast in metal or cut in wood, used in printing.
Type
A simple compound, used as a model or pattern to which other compounds are conveniently regarded as being related, and from which they may be actually or theoretically derived.
Type
To represent by a type, model, or symbol beforehand; to prefigure.
Type
To furnish an expression or copy of; to represent; to typify.
Let us type them now in our own lives.
Type
A subdivision of a particular kind of thing;
What type of sculpture do you prefer?
Type
A person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities);
A real character
A strange character
A friendly eccentric
The capable type
A mental case
Type
(biology) the taxonomic group whose characteristics are used to define the next higher taxon
Type
Printed characters;
Small type is hard to read
Type
A small metal block bearing a raised character on one end; produces a printed character when inked and pressed on paper;
He dropped a case of type, so they made him pick them up
Type
All of the tokens of the same symbol;
The word `element' contains five different types of character
Type
Write by means of a keyboard with types;
Type the acceptance letter, please
Type
Identify as belonging to a certain type;
Such people can practically be typed
Type
A category of people or things having common characteristics.
There's a new type of computer chip in the market.
Type
A representative form or model.
He's the type to always help others.
Common Curiosities
Can Type and Kind be used interchangeably?
In many everyday contexts, they can be, but precision between them is evident in specialized fields.
Does Kind always denote compassion?
No, but in certain contexts, it can convey a sense of empathy or compassion.
What does Type imply in a context?
Type often suggests a specific category or classification based on distinct characteristics.
What's the difference between "my type" and "my kind" in dating contexts?
"My type" usually refers to specific attributes one likes in a partner, while "my kind" is broader and can be about shared values or backgrounds.
Is Type always about technical classifications?
Not always, but it often leans towards a more specific or methodological categorization.
Which is broader in classification, Type or Kind?
Kind is typically broader, while Type is more specific.
How is Kind generally used?
Kind denotes a broader category, variety, or can even convey a sense of compassion.
Is there an emotional connotation with Type?
Typically, no. "Type" leans more towards categorization, while "Kind" can have an emotional aspect.
Can Kind refer to categories as well?
Yes, Kind can denote categories or varieties, like "kinds of fruits" or "kinds of music."
Are there contexts where they shouldn't be interchanged?
In specialized fields or where precision is required, it's best to use them as appropriate.
Can Kind be used to describe a person's nature?
Yes, like in the phrase "a kind-hearted person."
Does Kind always relate to variety?
Not always, but it often denotes a sort or variety of things.
How does Type relate to representation?
Type can also refer to a representative form or model of a certain category.
How are Type and Kind used in biology?
Type can differentiate categories within species, while Kind might refer to broader categorizations like species or genus.
Is it grammatically correct to ask "What kind of type is this?"
While grammatically correct, it's redundant and might confuse listeners. It's better to use one or the other based on context.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
