1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in original
something from which copies are made
Beowulf is considered by some scholars to be the archetype for medieval British heroic tales
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of archetype
There are faces you’re sort of used to seeing, or faces you’re used to seeing paired with a certain stereotype or archetype.
—
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
Ruggedness, dependability, and handiness define a lot of outdoor archetypes, from the ski patroller to the river guide to the park ranger.
—Outside Online, 8 Oct. 2025
Smith fits the archetype and is a stash candidate with huge upside.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Oct. 2025
Its supreme confidence in its own vision, coupled with a gorgeous score from Tangerine Dream, makes Near Dark the most valuable addition to the (unfortunately rather small) group of films that mix horror with Western archetypes.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
Ruggedness, dependability, and handiness define a lot of outdoor archetypes, from the ski patroller to the river guide to the park ranger.
—Outside Online, 8 Oct. 2025
Smith fits the archetype and is a stash candidate with huge upside.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Oct. 2025
Its supreme confidence in its own vision, coupled with a gorgeous score from Tangerine Dream, makes Near Dark the most valuable addition to the (unfortunately rather small) group of films that mix horror with Western archetypes.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
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Half of those tested had osteoporosis or a forerunner condition, osteopenia.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists.—
Benjamin Nathans
September 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The hedges surrounding the UGA football field today might not be the exact same shrubs from 96 years ago, but they’ve been propagated from the originals planted in 1929, preserving the continuity and lineage.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025
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Released in 2023 with Cooper himself fronting the campaign, the aptly named Tambour Steel is a sporty riff on the 2002 original.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In a personal tie, her paternal ancestors were the owners of the woollen manufacturer and merchant, William Lupton & Co, which was based in Leeds.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
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It was owned by the Torriani-Avanti family for more than 300 years, and yes, the same family whose ancestors now rest in Florence’s Santa Croce alongside Michelangelo and Galileo.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark A prototype for many parks that have been fashioned after it (most notably Disney’s theme parks), Tivoli Gardens has been an escape for Danes and tourists since its gates first opened in 1843.—
Zachary Laks,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
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Cartweel Robotics aims to debut its full-body walking Yogi prototype at the Humanoids Summit held in Silicon Valley this December.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The beans are typically piled in wooden boxes or baskets, in which bacteria and fungi break down the beans’ pulpy coating, producing chemicals that generate flavor precursors within the beans.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
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At the same time, Ohtani’s preparing for a chance to clinch the team’s second consecutive NL pennant, the precursor of repeating as World Series champions.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Two sources told Fortune that Amazon’s human resources division—known internally as PXT or the People eXperience Technology team—will be hard hit, but that other areas of Amazon’s core consumer business are also likely to be affected.—
Jason Del Rey,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
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The results weren't perfect — for the third quarter in a row, Wells Fargo missed the consensus estimate for NII, a crucial revenue source for traditional banks.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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