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What category should “the stereotype” be placed in? What status should it be assigned? Originally referring to a reproduction process used in printing, the term “stereotype” is now understood as a ready-made opinion that is repeated mechanically. Social psychology, sociology, and linguistics all offer noticeably different accounts of what the term entails. Accompanied by a host of synonyms, with “cliché” at the forefront, the stereotype presents a series of variants, each of which is found under the banner of convention. Interpretations of stereotypes are themselves varied, ranging from a complete rejection of anything that might involve stereotypical thinking to the acknowledgment that they can involve a degree of positivity.