diff --git a/base/src/types.rs b/base/src/types.rs
index 933cdbcb71..ff1645405a 100644
--- a/base/src/types.rs
+++ b/base/src/types.rs
@@ -331,18 +331,18 @@ impl BuiltinType {
 
 /// Kind representation
 ///
-/// All types in gluon has a kind. Most types encountered are of the `Star` (*) kind which
+/// All types in gluon has a kind. Most types encountered are of the `Type` kind which
 /// includes things like `Int`, `String` and `Option Int`. There are however other types which
 /// are said to be "higher kinded" and these use the `Function` (a -> b) variant.
-/// These types include `Option` and `->` which both have the kind `* -> *` as well as `Functor`
-/// which has the kind `(* -> *) -> *`.
+/// These types include `Option` and `(->)` which both have the kind `Type -> Type` as well as
+/// `Functor` which has the kind `(Type -> Type) -> Type`.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash)]
 pub enum Kind {
-    /// Representation for a kind which is yet to be infered
+    /// Representation for a kind which is yet to be inferred.
     Variable(u32),
     /// The simplest possible kind. All values in a program have this kind.
-    Star,
-    /// Constructor which takes two kinds, taking the first as argument and returning the second
+    Type,
+    /// Constructor which takes two kinds, taking the first as argument and returning the second.
     Function(RcKind, RcKind),
 }
 
@@ -350,9 +350,11 @@ impl Kind {
     pub fn variable(v: u32) -> RcKind {
         RcKind::new(Kind::Variable(v))
     }
-    pub fn star() -> RcKind {
-        RcKind::new(Kind::Star)
+
+    pub fn typ() -> RcKind {
+        RcKind::new(Kind::Type)
     }
+
     pub fn function(l: RcKind, r: RcKind) -> RcKind {
         RcKind::new(Kind::Function(l, r))
     }
@@ -658,8 +660,9 @@ impl<Id> ASTType<Id> {
 
 impl TypeVariable {
     pub fn new(var: u32) -> TypeVariable {
-        TypeVariable::with_kind(Kind::Star, var)
+        TypeVariable::with_kind(Kind::Type, var)
     }
+
     pub fn with_kind(kind: Kind, var: u32) -> TypeVariable {
         TypeVariable {
             kind: RcKind::new(kind),
@@ -675,11 +678,12 @@ impl fmt::Display for Kind {
         write!(f, "{}", DisplayKind(Prec::Top, self))
     }
 }
+
 impl<'a> fmt::Display for DisplayKind<'a> {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
         match *self.1 {
             Kind::Variable(i) => i.fmt(f),
-            Kind::Star => '*'.fmt(f),
+            Kind::Type => "Type".fmt(f),
             Kind::Function(ref arg, ref ret) => {
                 match self.0 {
                     Prec::Function => {
diff --git a/base/tests/types.rs b/base/tests/types.rs
index 63bcd44933..87f187c8bb 100644
--- a/base/tests/types.rs
+++ b/base/tests/types.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ fn type_con<I, T>(s: I, args: Vec<T>) -> Type<I, T>
         Ok(b) => Type::Builtin(b),
         Err(()) if is_var => {
             Type::Generic(Generic {
-                kind: RcKind::new(Kind::Star),
+                kind: RcKind::new(Kind::Type),
                 id: s,
             })
         }
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fn show_record() {
                                     typ: Alias::new(
                                         "Test",
                                         vec![Generic {
-                                                       kind: Kind::star(),
+                                                       kind: Kind::typ(),
                                                        id: "a",
                                                    }],
                                         f.clone(),
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ fn show_record() {
                                     typ: Alias::new(
                                         "Test",
                                         vec![Generic {
-                                                       kind: Kind::star(),
+                                                       kind: Kind::typ(),
                                                        id: "a",
                                                    }],
                                         f.clone(),
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ fn show_record() {
                                     typ: Alias::new(
                                         "Test",
                                         vec![Generic {
-                                                       kind: Kind::star(),
+                                                       kind: Kind::typ(),
                                                        id: "a",
                                                    }],
                                         f.clone(),
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ fn variants() {
 
 #[test]
 fn show_kind() {
-    let two_args = Kind::function(Kind::star(), Kind::function(Kind::star(), Kind::star()));
-    assert_eq!(format!("{}", two_args), "* -> * -> *");
-    let function_arg = Kind::function(Kind::function(Kind::star(), Kind::star()), Kind::star());
-    assert_eq!(format!("{}", function_arg), "(* -> *) -> *");
+    let two_args = Kind::function(Kind::typ(), Kind::function(Kind::typ(), Kind::typ()));
+    assert_eq!(format!("{}", two_args), "Type -> Type -> Type");
+    let function_arg = Kind::function(Kind::function(Kind::typ(), Kind::typ()), Kind::typ());
+    assert_eq!(format!("{}", function_arg), "(Type -> Type) -> Type");
 }
diff --git a/check/src/kindcheck.rs b/check/src/kindcheck.rs
index 8ce2c2eb66..bd65f34b00 100644
--- a/check/src/kindcheck.rs
+++ b/check/src/kindcheck.rs
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ pub struct KindCheck<'a> {
     info: &'a (KindEnv + 'a),
     idents: &'a (ast::IdentEnv<Ident = Symbol> + 'a),
     pub subs: Substitution<RcKind>,
-    /// A cached star kind, `*`
-    star_kind: RcKind,
-    /// A cached one argument kind function, `* -> *`
+    /// A cached type kind, `Type`
+    type_kind: RcKind,
+    /// A cached one argument kind function, `Type -> Type`
     function1_kind: RcKind,
-    /// A cached two argument kind function, `* -> * -> *`
+    /// A cached two argument kind function, `Type -> Type -> Type`
     function2_kind: RcKind,
 }
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fn walk_move_kind2<F>(kind: &RcKind, f: &mut F) -> Option<RcKind>
                     (None, None) => None,
                 }
             }
-            Kind::Star |
+            Kind::Type |
             Kind::Variable(_) => None,
         }
     };
@@ -68,16 +68,16 @@ impl<'a> KindCheck<'a> {
                idents: &'a (ast::IdentEnv<Ident = Symbol> + 'a),
                subs: Substitution<RcKind>)
                -> KindCheck<'a> {
-        let star = Kind::star();
+        let typ = Kind::typ();
         KindCheck {
             variables: Vec::new(),
             locals: Vec::new(),
             info: info,
             idents: idents,
             subs: subs,
-            star_kind: star.clone(),
-            function1_kind: Kind::function(star.clone(), star.clone()),
-            function2_kind: Kind::function(star.clone(), Kind::function(star.clone(), star)),
+            type_kind: typ.clone(),
+            function1_kind: Kind::function(typ.clone(), typ.clone()),
+            function2_kind: Kind::function(typ.clone(), Kind::function(typ.clone(), typ)),
         }
     }
 
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ impl<'a> KindCheck<'a> {
         self.variables.extend(variables.iter().cloned());
     }
 
-    pub fn star_kind(&self) -> RcKind {
-        self.star_kind.clone()
+    pub fn type_kind(&self) -> RcKind {
+        self.type_kind.clone()
     }
 
     pub fn function1_kind(&self) -> RcKind {
@@ -133,12 +133,12 @@ impl<'a> KindCheck<'a> {
         kind
     }
 
-    // Kindhecks `typ`, infering it to be of kind `*`
+    // Kindhecks `typ`, infering it to be of kind `Type`
     pub fn kindcheck_type(&mut self, typ: &mut TcType) -> Result<RcKind> {
         debug!("Kindcheck {:?}", typ);
         let (kind, t) = try!(self.kindcheck(typ));
-        let star = self.star_kind();
-        let kind = try!(self.unify(&star, kind));
+        let type_kind = self.type_kind();
+        let kind = try!(self.unify(&type_kind, kind));
         *typ = self.finalize_type(t);
         debug!("Done {:?}", typ);
         Ok(kind)
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ impl<'a> KindCheck<'a> {
             BuiltinType::Char |
             BuiltinType::Int |
             BuiltinType::Float |
-            BuiltinType::Unit => self.star_kind(),
+            BuiltinType::Unit => self.type_kind(),
             BuiltinType::Array => self.function1_kind(),
             BuiltinType::Function => self.function2_kind(),
         }
@@ -191,26 +191,26 @@ impl<'a> KindCheck<'a> {
                 let variants = try!(variants.iter()
                     .map(|variant| {
                         let (kind, typ) = try!(self.kindcheck(&variant.1));
-                        let star = self.star_kind();
-                        try!(self.unify(&star, kind));
+                        let type_kind = self.type_kind();
+                        try!(self.unify(&type_kind, kind));
                         Ok((variant.0.clone(), typ))
                     })
                     .collect());
-                Ok((self.star_kind(), Type::variants(variants)))
+                Ok((self.type_kind(), Type::variants(variants)))
             }
             Type::Record { ref types, ref fields } => {
                 let fields = try!(fields.iter()
                     .map(|field| {
                         let (kind, typ) = try!(self.kindcheck(&field.typ));
-                        let star = self.star_kind();
-                        try!(self.unify(&star, kind));
+                        let type_kind = self.type_kind();
+                        try!(self.unify(&type_kind, kind));
                         Ok(types::Field {
                             name: field.name.clone(),
                             typ: typ,
                         })
                     })
                     .collect());
-                Ok((self.star_kind(), Type::record(types.clone(), fields)))
+                Ok((self.type_kind(), Type::record(types.clone(), fields)))
             }
             Type::Id(ref id) => self.find(id).map(|kind| (kind, typ.clone())),
             Type::Alias(ref alias) => self.find(&alias.name).map(|kind| (kind, typ.clone())),
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ impl<'a> KindCheck<'a> {
     }
 
     pub fn finalize_type(&self, typ: TcType) -> TcType {
-        let default = Some(&self.star_kind);
+        let default = Some(&self.type_kind);
         types::walk_move_type(typ,
                               &mut |typ| {
             match *typ {
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ impl<'a> KindCheck<'a> {
     }
     pub fn finalize_generic(&self, var: &Generic<Symbol>) -> Generic<Symbol> {
         let mut kind = var.kind.clone();
-        kind = update_kind(&self.subs, kind, Some(&self.star_kind));
+        kind = update_kind(&self.subs, kind, Some(&self.type_kind));
         types::Generic {
             id: var.id.clone(),
             kind: kind,
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ impl Substitutable for RcKind {
                     walk_kind(r, f);
                 }
                 Kind::Variable(_) |
-                Kind::Star => (),
+                Kind::Type => (),
             }
         }
         walk_kind(self, &mut f)
diff --git a/check/src/typecheck.rs b/check/src/typecheck.rs
index 51f0671f88..76c7b9f5ff 100644
--- a/check/src/typecheck.rs
+++ b/check/src/typecheck.rs
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ impl<'a> KindEnv for Environment<'a> {
         self.stack_types
             .get(type_name)
             .map(|&(_, ref alias)| {
-                let mut kind = Kind::star();
+                let mut kind = Kind::typ();
                 for arg in alias.args.iter().rev() {
                     kind = Kind::function(arg.kind.clone(), kind);
                 }
@@ -720,10 +720,10 @@ impl<'a> Typecheck<'a> {
                     // this type expression into the kindcheck environment
                     for bind in bindings.iter_mut() {
                         // Create the kind for this binding
-                        // Test a b: 2 -> 1 -> *
+                        // Test a b: 2 -> 1 -> Type
                         // and bind the same variables to the arguments of the type binding
                         // ('a' and 'b' in the example)
-                        let mut id_kind = check.star_kind();
+                        let mut id_kind = check.type_kind();
                         let alias = Alias::make_mut(&mut bind.alias);
                         for gen in alias.args.iter_mut().rev() {
                             gen.kind = check.subs.new_var();
diff --git a/check/tests/functions.rs b/check/tests/functions.rs
index c75465134b..eb4d1f85f7 100644
--- a/check/tests/functions.rs
+++ b/check/tests/functions.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ struct EmptyEnv(Alias<Symbol, TcType>);
 impl KindEnv for EmptyEnv {
     fn find_kind(&self, id: &SymbolRef) -> Option<RcKind> {
         match id.as_ref() {
-            "Bool" => Some(Kind::star()),
+            "Bool" => Some(Kind::typ()),
             _ => None,
         }
     }
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ pub fn typ_a<T>(s: &str, args: Vec<T>) -> T
         Ok(b) => Type::builtin(b),
         Err(()) if is_var => {
             Type::generic(Generic {
-                kind: Kind::star(),
+                kind: Kind::typ(),
                 id: intern(s),
             })
         }
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ pub fn alias(s: &str, args: &[&str], typ: TcType) -> TcType {
                 args.iter()
                     .map(|id| {
                         Generic {
-                            kind: Kind::star(),
+                            kind: Kind::typ(),
                             id: intern(id),
                         }
                     })
diff --git a/check/tests/pass.rs b/check/tests/pass.rs
index 477756fc12..9f500f2f61 100644
--- a/check/tests/pass.rs
+++ b/check/tests/pass.rs
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ return 1
         Type::variants(vec![(intern(name), Type::function(vec![typ("a")], Type::app(typ(name), vec![typ("a")])))]);
     let test = alias("Test", &["a"], variant("Test"));
     let m = Generic {
-                            kind: Kind::function(Kind::star(), Kind::star()),
+                            kind: Kind::function(Kind::typ(), Kind::typ()),
                             id: intern("m"),
                         };
 
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ return 1
     let id_t = Type::alias(intern("IdT"), vec![
                         m.clone(),
                         Generic {
-                            kind: Kind::star(),
+                            kind: Kind::typ(),
                             id: intern("a"),
                         }], Type::app(Type::generic(m), vec![Type::app(id, vec![typ("a")])]));
     assert_eq!(result, Ok(Type::app(id_t, vec![test, typ("Int")])));
diff --git a/parser/src/lib.rs b/parser/src/lib.rs
index d623e0bcdb..82e4ea2d94 100644
--- a/parser/src/lib.rs
+++ b/parser/src/lib.rs
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ pub fn parse_tc
     let mut env = ast::TcIdentEnv {
         typ: Type::variable(TypeVariable {
             id: 0,
-            kind: Kind::star(),
+            kind: Kind::typ(),
         }),
         env: symbols,
     };
diff --git a/src/repl.rs b/src/repl.rs
index 192424e3a0..6921cd6228 100644
--- a/src/repl.rs
+++ b/src/repl.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ fn find_kind(args: WithVM<RootStr>) -> IO<Result<String, String>> {
     let args = args.value.trim();
     IO::Value(match vm.find_type_info(args) {
         Ok(ref alias) => {
-            let kind = alias.args.iter().rev().fold(Kind::star(), |acc, arg| {
+            let kind = alias.args.iter().rev().fold(Kind::typ(), |acc, arg| {
                 Kind::function(arg.kind.clone(), acc)
             });
             Ok(format!("{}", kind))
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ mod tests {
         compile_repl(&vm).unwrap_or_else(|err| panic!("{}", err));
         let mut find_kind: FunctionRef<QueryFn> = vm.get_global("repl_prim.find_kind").unwrap();
         assert_eq!(find_kind.call("std.prelude.Option"),
-                   Ok(IO::Value(Ok("* -> *".into()))));
+                   Ok(IO::Value(Ok("Type -> Type".into()))));
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/vm/src/types.rs b/vm/src/types.rs
index 335bde622a..d78fa31635 100644
--- a/vm/src/types.rs
+++ b/vm/src/types.rs
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ impl KindEnv for TypeInfos {
         self.id_to_type
             .get(type_name)
             .map(|alias| {
-                alias.args.iter().rev().fold(types::Kind::star(), |acc, arg| {
+                alias.args.iter().rev().fold(types::Kind::typ(), |acc, arg| {
                     types::Kind::function(arg.kind.clone(), acc)
                 })
             })
diff --git a/vm/src/vm.rs b/vm/src/vm.rs
index 80f6e0e5bb..f88b1e8a85 100644
--- a/vm/src/vm.rs
+++ b/vm/src/vm.rs
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ impl GlobalVMState {
         }
         let g: TcType = Type::generic(types::Generic {
             id: Symbol::new(name),
-            kind: types::Kind::star(),
+            kind: types::Kind::typ(),
         });
         generics.insert(name.into(), g.clone());
         g