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archetype

archetype

25 7.4
A first model or perfect example that others copy
  • noun
  • /ˈɑrkɪˌtaɪp/
translation icon : arquetipo
  • There are those who, like the Buddhist archetype Ho Tai, come to be Happy Wanderers.
  • unconscious archetypes
  • collective archetypes
  • Jungian archetypes

Well, why don't we have you work with this pure archetype of mothering?

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Examples

  • Somalia is often cited as the archetype of a failed state.

    Academic text (2011)
  • All of these classic stories are expressions of fundamental archetypes of human conditions of consciousness.

    Blog text (11)
  • But figure out which archetype feels the most like you and then own it.

  • The hero's journey, that archetype is so powerful.

  • In the mythic phase, the lion is an archetype for the hero.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Women as caregivers became the American cultural archetype of femininity.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Well, why don't we have you work with this pure archetype of mothering?

  • However, their use of myth and archetype addresses a deeper underlying psychological issue: that of cultural imbalance.

    Academic text (1994)
  • It does prove, however, what Jung said all along, that myths and archetypes are alive, and well and living in my apartment.

  • The archetype of the detective has been depicted in countless films and books, showcasing the classic traits of intelligence and curiosity.

Synonyms

model
vsarchetype
569 3.4

A person or thing that others copy because they are a good example

is a defining perfect pattern rather than just a copyable example
original
vsarchetype
194 3.5

The first version of something from which copies are made

is an ideal pattern or perfect example, not merely the first version
prototype
vsarchetype
184 4.6

A first model or typical example that others are based on

is the ideal perfect pattern used as a standard rather than a test version
paradigm
vsarchetype
100 7.4

A model or example that people follow in a field

is a general timeless perfect pattern not limited to one field

Antonyms

25 5.3

A difference from what is usual or expected

9.9

A person or thing that is the direct opposite of another

How Typical

paragon
  • Formal
18 7.8
archetype
25 7.4
example
1.0
variant
1 5.3
outlier
  • Specialized
35 6.7

Surface Forms

archetype singular
archetypes plural

Morphology

archetype = type (semi-transparent) = arche + type

The element 'type' is clear, but 'arche' is a less familiar combining form so the full meaning 'original model' is inferable but not immediately obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Archetype comes from Greek parts arche meaning 'beginning' and type meaning 'model'. So an archetype is the original model or perfect example that other things are copied from.