Synonyms of archetypes

archetypes

noun

plural of archetype

1

as in forerunners

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

• forerunners
• ancestors
• precursors
• prototypes
• predecessors
• antecedents
• models
• originals
• granddaddies
• originators
• daddies
• mothers
• foregoers
• sires
• fathers

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• descendants
• derivatives
• sons
• daughters
• offshoots
• outgrowths
• by-products
• spin-offs

2

as in originals

something from which copies are made

Beowulf is considered by some scholars to be the archetype for medieval British heroic tales

Synonyms & Similar Words

• originals
• prototypes
• sources
• examples
• blueprints
• models
• paradigms
• molds
• patterns
• ideals
• classics
• exemplars
• paragons
• drafts
• nonpareils
• beau ideals

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• copies
• imitations
• reproductions
• replicas
• forgeries
• counterfeits
• fakes
• shams

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of archetypes

The plots aren’t particularly developed or surprising, and the characters are written more as archetypes than as real people. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026

Whether or not they’re being given permission from on high, that belonging is an inherent birthright, a belonging to this earth, which those archetypes signify and symbolize. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

For one thing, archetypes are by definition reductive, and there are plenty of people around here who are older, or parents, or retired, or indifferent to the bar scene, or all of the above. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2026

Hsu’s office aimed to avoid both early on by refusing to name a particular style, reference familiar restaurant archetypes, or let the project become thematic. — Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026

Perhaps that’s why the pair has striven to create fresh archetypes. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026

Second Dinner said once players choose a starter, the Draft Mode steers the choices to complementary cards, and they’re marked with archetypes. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026

The four women are cardboard-cutout archetypes, played in amiable lightweight fashion. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026

Players command Hawks, a former Republic officer, leading a customizable squad of diverse archetypes, including Jedi and scoundrels. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026