What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Purpose vs Type - What's the difference?

purpose | type |

As nouns the difference between purpose and type

is that purpose is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal while type is a grouping based on shared characteristics; a class.

As verbs the difference between purpose and type

is that purpose is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan while type is to put text on paper using a typewriter.

purpose

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • An object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
    • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
  • A result that is desired; an intention.
  • The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
  • * 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
    • United began with more purpose in the early phase of the second half and Liverpool were grateful for Glen Johnson's crucial block from Young's goalbound shot.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Sarah Glaz
    • , title= Ode to Prime Numbers , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.}}
  • The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
    • (Spenser)
  • The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.
    • The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.
  • (obsolete) Instance; example.
    • (rfquotek, L'Estrange)
    Synonyms
    * (target ): aim, goal, object, target * (intention ): aim, plan, intention * (determination ): determination, intention, resolution * (subject of discourse ): matter, subject, topic * (reason for doing something ): reason * See also
    Derived terms
    (terms derived from purpose) * all-purpose * common purpose * cross-purpose * fit for purpose * for all intents and purposes * game with a purpose * general-purpose * infinitive of purpose * multi-purpose * metapurpose * purpose-built * purposeful * purposeless * purpose-like * purpose loan * purposely * purpose statement * on purpose

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (purpos)
  • Have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
  • * Macaulay
    • I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.
  • (passive ) Designed for some purpose.
  • (obsolete) To have a purpose or intention; to discourse.
    • (Spenser)
    Derived terms
    * purposed * purposer * purposive * on purpose
    Synonyms
    * (have set as one's purpose ): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out * (designed for some purpose ): intended

    References

    * * *

    Statistics

    *

    type

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A grouping based on shared characteristics; a class.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
    • , author=Lee A. Groat, volume=100, issue=2, page=128, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Gemstones , passage=Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.}}
  • An individual considered typical of its class, one regarded as typifying a certain profession, environment, etc.
  • * 2002 , Pat Conroy, The Great Santini , page 4:
    • "I just peeked out toward the restaurant and there are a lot of Navy types in there. I'd hate for you to get in trouble on your last night in Europe."
  • An individual that represents the ideal for its class; an embodiment.
  • * 1872 , Mary Rose Godfrey, Loyal , volume 3, page 116:
    • Altogether he was the type of low ruffianism — as ill-conditioned a looking brute as ever ginned a hare.
  • (printing, countable) A letter or character used for printing, historically a cast or engraved block.
  • # (uncountable) Such types collectively, or a set of type of one font or size.
  • # (chiefly, uncountable) Text printed with such type, or imitating its characteristics.
  • The headline was set in bold type .
  • (biology) An individual considered representative of members of its taxonomic group.
  • Preferred sort of person; sort of person that one is attracted to.
  • (biology) A blood group.
  • (theology) An event or person that prefigures or foreshadows a later event - commonly an Old Testament event linked to Christian times.
  • (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.
  • (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.
  • (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.
  • (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 to the notion of "data type" in computing theory.)
  • * Types, theory of. V.N. Grishin (originator), Encyclopedia of Mathematics . URL: http://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Types,_theory_of&oldid=14150
    • Logics of the second and higher orders may be regarded as type -theoretic systems.
    Categorial grammar is like a combination of context-free grammar and types .

    Synonyms

    * (grouping based on shared characteristics) category, class, genre, group, kind, sort, tribe * (computing theory) data type * (printing) sort * See also

    Derived terms

    * antitype * archetype * blood type * built-in type * composite type * cotype * ideal type * movable type * normal type * primitive type * structured type * typeface * type-safe * typesetter * typewriter * typography * typology * typology * user-defined type

    Verb

    (typ)
  • To put text on paper using a typewriter.
  • To enter text or commands into a computer using a keyboard.
  • To determine the blood type of.
    • The doctor ordered the lab to type the patient for a blood transfusion.
  • To represent by a type, model, or symbol beforehand; to prefigure.
  • To furnish an expression or copy of; to represent; to typify.
  • * Tennyson
    • Let us type them now in our own lives.

    Related terms

    * typing * typist * typo

    Descendants

    * Esperanto: (l)

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----