【Type】 ,  【kind】 ,  【sort】 ,  【stripe】 ,  【kidney】 ,  【ilk】 ,  【description】 ,  【nature】 ,  【character】  are comparable when they denote a number of individuals thought of as a group or class because of one or more shared and distinctive characteristics.

【Type】 may suggest strong, clearly marked, or obvious similarities throughout the items included so that the distinctiveness of the group that they form cannot be overlooked.

【Kind】 in most uses is likely to be very indefinite and involve any criterion of classification whatever, but it may suggest criteria of grouping dependent natural, intrinsic characteristics.

【Sort】  is often a close synonym of  【kind】  <the  【sort】  of culture I am trying to define —Powys >  and may be used in situations having a suggestion of disparagement.

【Type】  ,  【kind】  , and  【sort】  are usually interchangeable and are used most of the time without attention to special connotations.

【Stripe】  and  【kidney】 are used mostly of people rather than things; the first may suggest political attitude or affiliation, the second persuasion, disposition, or social level.

【Ilk】 may suggest grouping on the basis of status, attitude, or temperament.

【Description】  ,  【nature】  , and  【character】  are close synonyms of  【type】  and  【kind】  mostly in phrases beginning with of .

【Description】  may suggest a grouping in which all salient details of 【description】 or definition are involved;  【nature】  may suggest inherent, essential characteristics rather than superficial, ostensible, or tentative ones; and  【character】 may stress distinctive or individualizing criteria.