The term linguistic typology may refer to:
- A classification of structural types across languages.
- The study of patterns that occur systematically across languages, also called typological generalization. The classical example of typological universal is the implicational universal. An example of an implicational universal is the generalization, 'if the demonstrative follows the head noun, then the relative clause also follows the head noun'.
- An approach or theoretical framework to the study of language that contrasts with prior approaches, such as American structuralism an generative grammar.