archetype

noun

ar·che·type | \ˈär-ki-ˌtīp

Definition of archetype

1 : 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.

2 : idea sense 4c

3 psychology : 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

Other Words from archetype Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about archetype

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Other Words from archetype

archetypal \ˌär-ki-ˈtī-pəl

\ or less commonly archetypical \-ˈti-pi-kəl

\ adjective

an archetypal English village

archetypally \-pə-lē

\ or less commonly archetypically \-ˈti-pi-k(ə-)lē

\ adverb

Did You Know?

Archetype derives via Latin from the Greek adjective archetypos ("archetypal"), formed from the verb "archein" ("to begin" or "to rule") and the noun "typos" ("type"). ("Archein" also gave us the prefix arch-, meaning "principal" or "extreme" and used to form such words as "archenemy," "archduke," and "archconservative.") "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."

Examples of archetype in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Which makes his job a workforce archetype found in every imaginable field. — Author: David Segal, Anchorage Daily News, "Tough job: Norway’s ski wax chief is only noticed when he fails," 14 Feb. 2018 This teenage detective became the archetype of a kind of tough American woman: smart and fierce in the face of violence, but also well-respected by police and her doting father. — Jennifer Fisher, Smithsonian, "The Adventurous Writer Who Brought Nancy Drew To Life," 2 July 2018 That was a theme that would have appealed to the historians and poets of classical Rome who found in the story of Romulus’s killing of his brother Remus the archetype of multiple acts of civil violence. — Greg Woolf, WSJ, "‘Rome: A History in Seven Sackings’ Review: The City That Survived," 29 June 2018 Fear grows in darkness outside our kitchen windows, extending the ancient archetype of the Big Bad Wolf to other species. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "Small-Town New Hampshire’s Battle with Bears and Liberty," 5 June 2018 These Agent Smiths represent an archetype of Putin’s new staff. — Mikhail Zygar, Time, "Putin Believes He's Destined to Make Russia Great Again. And He's Just Getting Started," 19 Mar. 2018 Like the best artists in history, Beyoncé uses these tropes and archetypes to make new work that becomes its own kind of inside joke and artistry, a sonic way of playing the dozens with her enemies. — Joshunda Sanders, Harper's BAZAAR, "Everything Is Love Is the Ultimate Ode to Black Freedom," 22 June 2018 In his studies of the Bible and literature, Frye showed that mythical archetypes were powerful and recurring, yes, but also subject to revision. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "Jordan Peterson’s Tired Old Myths," 21 May 2018 The run-away-and-heal archetype established so many years ago by Halo is now toast. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 world’s first hands-on: Tight core, tons of questions," 18 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'archetype.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

10 Oct 2018

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The first known use of archetype was in 1545

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More Definitions for archetype

archetype

noun

ar·che·type | \ˈär-ki-ˌtīp

Medical Definition of archetype

1a : 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

b : the original ancestor of a group of plants or animals

2 : 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