1
as in original
something from which copies are made
Beowulf is considered by some scholars to be the archetype for medieval British heroic tales
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the abacus is sometimes cited as the archetype of the modern digital calculator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of archetype
Taskmaster contestants fall into a number of archetypes.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
The success of Citadel, which manages $68 billion in its hedge fund and has a huge securities-trading operation, has always been hard to pin on any one thing, as The New Yorker’s Gary Sernovitz teases out in a profile out this week that observed how Griffin fits none of Wall Street’s archetypes.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
So now there isn’t just one archetype of the Rocky underdog character sort.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Her take on the ‘Latina baddie’ archetype may be the show’s most memorable performance.
—
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
The success of Citadel, which manages $68 billion in its hedge fund and has a huge securities-trading operation, has always been hard to pin on any one thing, as The New Yorker’s Gary Sernovitz teases out in a profile out this week that observed how Griffin fits none of Wall Street’s archetypes.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
So now there isn’t just one archetype of the Rocky underdog character sort.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Her take on the ‘Latina baddie’ archetype may be the show’s most memorable performance.
—
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
-
The spectacularly antic tale of originals and doubles, locals and outsiders, visually and philosophically lampoons the very concept of identity.
-
The 2005 original was given a relatively large $33 million to play with, directed by a future Emmy winner, and graced with cameos from legends Alan Shearer and Zinedine Zidane.
Noun
-
The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
-
In 2007, the Oatley family opened Qualia, their 30-acre flagship property and the forerunner of Australia’s luxury lodges.
Noun
-
Future projects will also depend on successful prototype testing, regulatory approvals, construction milestones, and definitive customer agreements before any revenue-generating power plants come online.
-
Musk has sought for more than a decade to get the public comfortable with SpaceX’s approach to rocket development, which emphasizes testing cheap prototypes in flight and embracing the occasional mishap rather than trying to guarantee perfection.
Noun
-
But just because our microbiome differs from our ancestors' doesn't mean reverting to an earlier model is better.
-
The range of Pennsylvania Dutch vocabulary reflects the immediate, physical nature of my ancestors’ lives and work.
Noun
-
Under state law, any single gift — or multiple gifts from the same source that add up to $50 or more during the annual period — must be disclosed.
-
In conversations with nearly a dozen sources close to the White House, most of whom requested anonymity to discuss private interactions, allies of the president and vice president said Trump isn’t sold on Vance as his 2028 pick.
Noun
-
Sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean have topped daily warm records for more than 20 days in June, a precursor to what many scientists expect to be one of the strongest El Niño events on record.
-
Today, financial independence is often about knowledge—and career opportunity—as a precursor to power.
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
