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
To that end, the mythological references are meaningful, speaking to the archetypes we’re often locked into, and the defiant types like Cal who make their escape.
—
Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Choose from four Tarot archetypes (The Moon, The Star, The High Priestess, or The Empress) for the perfect flavor and decorations on the set.
—Sarah Boyd, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
There’s a lot of those specific archetypes in Ohio!
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 5 May 2025
Both players, though, have worked intensively the past two years to become more than those archetypes.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Choose from four Tarot archetypes (The Moon, The Star, The High Priestess, or The Empress) for the perfect flavor and decorations on the set.
—Sarah Boyd, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
There’s a lot of those specific archetypes in Ohio!
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 5 May 2025
Both players, though, have worked intensively the past two years to become more than those archetypes.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
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While his Late Night forerunner Letterman was probably the comedic polestar of Generation X—gruff, cynical, and biting the hand that fed—O’Brien became a bedrock influence for the next generation of Millennial comics.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2025
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The New York Dolls were forerunners of punk, and the band's style -- teased hair, women's clothes and lots of makeup -- inspired the glam movement that took up residence in heavy metal a decade later in bands like Faster Pussycat and Mötley Crüe.—
MARK KENNEDY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Francis Lawrence will direct the film after helming every movie in the series except the 2012 original.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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Those originals are now on Max and Warrior even aired a third season there, but Max programming definitely has not aligned with Cinemax programming.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Porter County Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs noted his ancestors were among the first white settlers in the county in 1835, at a settlement a few hundred feet from the site.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
18 May 2025
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Moringa oleifera is native to Indian subcontinent, particularly the Himalayan foothills, while another species, Moringa stenopetala, grows in the Horn of Africa: southern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and even Somalia, where Elba’s ancestors are from.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Google’s Project Mariner technology, which the company announced as a research prototype last year, will be able to accomplish certain tasks on a person’s behalf and answer questions that usually require multiple steps, the company claims.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
20 May 2025
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Real Ice hopes to test a prototype this year, says co-CEO Andrea Ceccolini, an Italian computer scientist and investor who joined the company in 2022.—
Alec Luhn,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Passionate about utopian socialism and architecture, Gaudí’s forms and shapes were totally fresh, otherworldly and are sometimes referred to as a precursor of the Surrealist movement, of which Salvator Dalí was a key proponent.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
8 May 2025
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Key Ingredients: Pre-retinol (retinol precursor), sunflower oil, wintergreen extract, hibiscus flower extract, christophine extract, water lily extract Best For: Rejuvenating tired, aging skin by brightening and evening out skin tone for a smoother, more radiant complexion.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
6 May 2025
Noun
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Possible funding source But whatever the cost, the city has a source of cash to make the lease payments: $14 million that is yet to be spent on the $16 million project approved last fall to build holding cells on the top floor of Police Headquarters, Finance Director Tammy Queen said.—
Mike Hendricks,
Kansas City Star,
16 May 2025
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Despite the ransom payment, Joly did not want to give up his bargaining chip for his freedom, several sources previously told the Miami Herald.—
Shirsho Dasgupta,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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