archetype
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.the original pattern or model from which all other similar things are copied.
n.an original model or prototype of which all other similar concepts, objects, or persons are derivative or emulated.
Simple“The inventor's first machine became the archetype for all modern computers.”
In context“The 19th-century steam engine served as the archetype for industrial power, influencing mechanical design for the next hundred years.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'for'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a perfect or most typical example of a certain type of person or thing.
n.the most representative or quintessential example of a category.
Simple“He is the archetype of a successful businessman: hardworking, smart, and very competitive.”
In context“In many ways, the small coastal village remains the archetype of traditional Mediterranean life, largely untouched by modern tourism.”
UsageCommonly used with the preposition 'of'.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a type of character or story that appears again and again in books and films.
n.a recurring symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology that represents universal patterns of human nature.
Simple“The 'hero' is a common archetype found in stories from every culture.”
In context“The author subverts the archetype of the 'wise old mentor' by making the character deeply flawed and unreliable.”
Teacher's tipIn literature, this refers to universal patterns rather than just clichés; it implies a deep, shared cultural meaning.
Synonymstropestock character - 04 C2 Proficiency
n.an idea or image that all humans share in their minds, according to psychologist Carl Jung.
n.a primitive mental image inherited from the collective unconscious of the human race.
Simple“Jung believed that the archetype of the 'mother' exists in everyone's unconscious mind.”
In context“Jungian analysis focuses on how these archetypes manifest in dreams and influence individual personality development.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
v.to represent something as a typical example or model.
v.to model, depict, or categorize something according to a specific archetype.
Simple“The director chose to archetype the villain as a cold, calculating machine.”
In context“Critics argued that the film tended to archetype its female characters rather than giving them unique personalities.”
Synonymsmodeltypify
“The showrunners originally intended to refresh the superheroes each series, to create a giant stable of ridiculously capable archetypes.”
“Parchman doesn’t fit conventional archetypes of what a prison is.”
From Old French architipe (modern French archétype), from Latin archetypum (“original”), from Ancient Greek ἀρχέτυπον (arkhétupon, “model, pattern”), the neuter form of ἀρχέτυπος (arkhétupos, “first-moulded”), from ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “beginning, origin”) (from ἄρχω (árkhō, “to begin; to lead, rule”), from Proto-Indo-European h₂ergʰ- (“to begin; to command, rule”)) + τῠ́πος (tŭ́pos, “blow, pressing; sort, type”) (from τύπτω (túptō, “to beat, strike”), from Proto-Indo-European (s)tewp- (“to push; to stick”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.