archetype

noun

ar·che·type ˈär-ki-ˌtīp

Synonyms of archetype next

: the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies : prototype

… the House of Commons, the archetype of all the representative assemblies which now meet …—

Thomas Babington Macaulay

also : a perfect example

He is the archetype of a successful businessman.

: idea sense 4c

psychology : an inherited idea or mode of thought in the psychology of Carl Gustav Jung that is derived from the experience of the race and is present in the unconscious of the individual

archetypal

ˌär-ki-ˈtī-pəl

adjective

or less commonly archetypical

ˌär-ki-ˈti-pi-kəl

an archetypal English village

archetypally

ˌär-ki-ˈti-pə-lē

adverb

or less commonly archetypically

ˌär-ki-ˈti-pi-k(ə-)lē

Did you know?

Archetype comes from the Greek verb archein ("to begin" or "to rule") and the noun typos ("type"). Archetype has specific uses in the fields of philosophy and psychology. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato, for example, believed that all things have ideal forms (aka archetypes) of which real things are merely shadows or copies. And in the psychology of C. G. Jung, archetype refers to an inherited idea or mode of thought that is present in the unconscious of the individual. In everyday prose, however, archetype is most commonly used to mean "a perfect example of something."

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web One result of this approach is that XVI treats the women in its cast astonishingly poorly, pulling from stock archetypes of dark fantasy scheming shrews, manipulative seductresses, and constantly available, virginal targets of romantic affections. —

WIRED, 24 June 2023 These gruff, protective TV dads are a stark contrast to one of the most pervasive archetypes of the medium: the lovably incompetent dads most often seen in sitcoms. —

Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2023 But the archetype didn’t quite fit Gordon’s vision for the Oil Factory’s praise team. —

Bethonie Butler, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2023 Then came the likes of Silvia Tcherassi and, eventually, Johanna Ortiz, who set the resort-like archetype that is currently the collective definition of Latin American fashion abroad. —

José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2023 Sophie et Voilà is an archetype for the contemporary bride, with simple silhouettes and voluminous ornaments. —

ELLE, 7 June 2023 Nurturing and compassion are key concepts in a variety of religions, whether they are represented as specific goddess figures, archetypes of the feminine or new religious developments that embrace shifting ideas about gender. —

Alyssa Beall, USA TODAY, 13 May 2023 Eva rapidly escapes the ‘manic pixie dream girl’ archetype to become a full-fledged character whose actions are the catalyst for the evolution of the main characters. —

Emiliano Granada, Variety, 6 Mar. 2023 Despite being associated with an academic look, it can be reinterpreted to fit a variety of archetypes. —

Megan O'Sullivan, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'archetype.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin archetypum, from Greek archetypon, from neuter of archetypos archetypal, from archein + typos type

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of archetype was in 1545

See more words from the same year

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archetype. Accessed 6 Jul. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

archetype

noun

ar·che·type ˈär-ki-ˌtīp

: the original pattern or model from which something is copied

archetypal

ˌär-ki-ˈtī-pəl

adjective

Medical Definition

archetype

noun

ar·che·type ˈär-ki-ˌtīp

: a primitive generalized plan of structure deduced from the characters of a natural group of plants or animals and assumed to be the characteristic of the ancestor from which they are all descended

: the original ancestor of a group of plants or animals

: an inherited idea or mode of thought in the psychology of C. G. Jung that is derived from the experience of the race and is present in the unconscious of the individual

archetypal

ˌär-ki-ˈtī-pəl

adjective