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
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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
This pointed to suits and sartorial pieces with a little twist, expressed in tweaks in texture or proportion that were just enough to cast a new light on familiar wardrobe archetypes.
—
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Now escape the generic archetypes of logic and think like a novelist, remembering (or discovering) a specific story of when every person on your list was creative in their own distinct way.
—Angus Fletcher, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025
Exploring Mexico’s most celebrated ghost stories, Three Mexican Folk Songs, by David Conte, highlight haunting archetypes such as La Bruja and La Llorona.
—Dawn Giangiulio, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
The Argyle Sweater An archetype of preppy fall style, argyle sweaters are having a moment once more.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Now escape the generic archetypes of logic and think like a novelist, remembering (or discovering) a specific story of when every person on your list was creative in their own distinct way.
—Angus Fletcher, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025
Exploring Mexico’s most celebrated ghost stories, Three Mexican Folk Songs, by David Conte, highlight haunting archetypes such as La Bruja and La Llorona.
—Dawn Giangiulio, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
The Argyle Sweater An archetype of preppy fall style, argyle sweaters are having a moment once more.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
-
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
-
The event turned out to be a forerunner to the UN Earth Summit.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The latter synthesizes a half-dozen Vincente Minnelli-meets-Marilyn musical numbers, minus the sweat and soul of the originals.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Both Countdown and Butterfly debuted to positive fanfare this past summer, ranking within Nielsen's Top 10 streaming originals charts.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In 2024, some 75 representatives gathered in Pegli, near Genoa, their ancestors’ home.—
Miquel Ros,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Dogs’ tendency to chase or bark at cats often stems from their natural prey drive, a leftover instinct from their wild ancestors.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Blending two worlds In April, the same team made headlines after developing the PoX 2D flash memory prototype, which achieved an extraordinary program speed of 400 picoseconds, the fastest semiconductor charge storage ever recorded.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
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Lightfighter's other prototype, labeled the V3-RH, is a 135-hp (100-kW) super-naked with higher handlebars and no fairing, built for acceptance into the professional MotoAmerica Super Hooligan series next year.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Once most of the ticker tape had been cleared from the pitch, and the game finally started, all this seemed to have rattled the Netherlands, who played an unusually physical brand of football, perhaps a precursor to their infamous 2010 final display against Spain.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
With Tagovailoa, however, that off-the-field chemistry has always been a precursor to what happens in between the lines.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Some workers, whose programs have alternative funding sources, continue to be paid on time.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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