archetype

noun

Definition of archetypenext
1
as in ancestor
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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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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archetypal

archetype

archetypes

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“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

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More from Merriam-Webster on archetype

Nglish: Translation of archetype for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of archetype for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about archetype

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