Definition of archetypenext
1
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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2
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of archetype But the Louisville native, who previously helmed North of Bourbon and Enso, wasn't interested in just another riff on the British archetype. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 8 May 2026 What an incredible archetype of feminine power. Devon Ivie, Vulture, 7 May 2026 But Graham does fit an archetype of front-office construction that has boded well for other organizations, particularly in his willingness to invest in a more modern approach to roster building. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 Where errors cascade across networks, the supply chain and logistics archetype holds. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
  • Starring Robert Pattinson as the titular DC Comics superhero, the 2022 original surpassed $770 million worldwide.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
  • Incredibly, modern denim jeans bear a great resemblance to the originals, whose birthday is May 20, 1873.
    Catherine Salfino, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • Las Damas was founded in May 1948 and put on the Beachcomber’s Carnival, a forerunner of the Sunset Beach Art Festival, in July of that year.
    Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
  • The brand was also a forerunner with exclusive collaborations.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • What will be interesting to see is if this prototype display technology makes its way to the iPhone Fold later this year, but not the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which would be a major win for the Apple device and mitigate some of Samsung's early software advantage.
    Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
  • The prototype system achieves motion-robust 3D tracking of mixed-reflectivity scenes at incredibly high frame rates.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • Durglo is inextricably tied to this landscape; his ancestors have lived on this land for centuries.
    Ellis Juhlin, NPR, 18 May 2026
  • The Barkindji people have shown this small, elderly dingo the same care their ancestors did.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • The four-time NFL MVP agreed to a one-year contract worth $22 million guaranteed with the Steelers on Saturday, a source confirmed.
    Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
  • The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
    Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • The filing was a precursor to what will surely be a defense request for sanctions, which could range from financial reimbursement for their clients’ legal fees and potentially against the individual prosecutors in the case.
    Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
  • Could these be precursors to output deals?
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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