Archetype

/ˈɑːrkɪtaɪp/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A typical example of a certain person or thing.

The detective in the novel was an archetype of the hard-boiled crime fighter.

An original model or pattern from which other things are copied or developed.

The architect's design was considered an archetype for modern urban buildings.

In psychology, an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the shared experience of humanity.

Carl Jung proposed that archetypes exist in the collective unconscious of all humans.

From Greek 'archētypos', meaning 'from the beginning' or 'original'.

hero archetype

A universal symbol representing the hero in stories across cultures.

archetypal image

A common motif or theme that represents a certain idea or character.

stereotype

A widely held but oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.

model

A standard or example for imitation or comparison.

A typical or common person in a specific context.

He's such an archetype of a hipster.

An embodiment of a particular trait or characteristic.

That character in the movie is the archetype of a tech geek.