student asking question

What does "stereotype" mean? Doesn't "stereo" refer to an audio system?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

“Stereotype” is actually unrelated to that. It means an overgeneralized belief or idea about a group of people, usually negative. People who believe in these stereotypes will then apply this belief to an entire group of people, without accounting for individual differences. “Gender stereotypes” here refers to stereotypes based on gender, such as the belief that a man should always be masculine and avoid showing emotion. Ex: There is a stereotype that all Asians are good at math. Ex: Oftentimes, stereotypes can arise from ignorance.

Popular Q&As

03/28

Complete the expression with a quiz!