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
On the runway that meant assembling different female archetypes with the same wardrobe.
—
Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
By Hannah Giorgis At first glance, the main character of The Teacher, the debut feature film by the Palestinian British writer-director Farah Nabulsi, seems drawn from a familiar inspirational-movie archetype.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025
Any romance reader familiar with the enemies-to-lovers trope should recognize this archetype.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
West, the model for the NBA logo and in many ways the original prototype for Curry’s combo-guard archetype as a do-everything scoring dynamo with a sweet shot, was a legendary player for the Lakers in the 1960s and 1970s before helping build two separate dynasties in Los Angeles as an executive.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
By Hannah Giorgis At first glance, the main character of The Teacher, the debut feature film by the Palestinian British writer-director Farah Nabulsi, seems drawn from a familiar inspirational-movie archetype.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025
Any romance reader familiar with the enemies-to-lovers trope should recognize this archetype.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
West, the model for the NBA logo and in many ways the original prototype for Curry’s combo-guard archetype as a do-everything scoring dynamo with a sweet shot, was a legendary player for the Lakers in the 1960s and 1970s before helping build two separate dynasties in Los Angeles as an executive.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
-
Indeed, VistaVision was the forerunner of IMAX 65mm, with its horizontal orientation.—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2025
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The company plans to recreate the mammoth, dodo, and Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, by editing the genome of each species’ closest living relative to make a hybrid animal that would be visually indistinguishable from its extinct forerunner.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Virtual representation of that entity or process – A virtual model that doesn’t just mimic the original but evolves with it, capturing subtleties and complexities.—
Ben Chused,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Ryan Coogler Is the ‘Perfect Person’ to Direct the ‘X-Files’ Reboot Derricks, producer Dhana Gilbert, production designer Bill Groom, and Sherman-Palladino took IndieWire inside the process of restaging the classics and creating Tobias’ cutting-edge originals.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Like all Guna, Lisa’s ancestors were not native island dwellers.—
Mark Johanson,
AFAR Media,
22 Apr. 2025
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Water bottle The modern-day source of water for many people—their water bottle—may be just as germ-filled as our ancient ancestors’ go-to watering hole.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In the third round range, the Bills generally rely on a prototype for certain positions — defensive end among them — to give their picks the best chance to succeed in the NFL.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Slice an ambitious goal into micro-wins—a prototype, a key call, a test launch.—
Adam Levine,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Some say that news is a precursor to a recession, but that seems very unlikely given the other economic news.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 May 2025
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The paintings are a precursor to Mexico’s famous catsta (caste) paintings — a genre invented to depict biracial families that was omnipresent during most of the 18th century.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
Noun
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Axios initially reported on Saturday that the US, Israel and representatives of a new international foundation are close to an agreement on how to resume the delivery of aid, citing two anonymous Israeli and US sources The Israeli source who spoke to CNN would not say if a deal was imminent.—
Jennifer Hansler,
CNN Money,
3 May 2025
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From dust and hair to greasy buildup and the occasional stain, fabric headboards can be a sneaky source of stale smells and dinginess.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
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