# archetype

/ˈɑɹkɪˌtaɪp/ (US) · /ˈɑːkɪtˌaɪp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/archetype
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. original model

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the original pattern or model from which all other similar things are copied.

For teachers: an original model or prototype of which all other similar concepts, objects, or persons are derivative or emulated.

- The inventor's first machine became the archetype for all modern computers.
- The 19th-century steam engine served as the archetype for industrial power, influencing mechanical design for the next hundred years.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'for'.

### 2. perfect example

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a perfect or most typical example of a certain type of person or thing.

For teachers: the most representative or quintessential example of a category.

- He is the archetype of a successful businessman: hardworking, smart, and very competitive.
- In many ways, the small coastal village remains the archetype of traditional Mediterranean life, largely untouched by modern tourism.

Usage: Commonly used with the preposition 'of'.

### 3. literary character type

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a type of character or story that appears again and again in books and films.

For teachers: a recurring symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology that represents universal patterns of human nature.

- The 'hero' is a common archetype found in stories from every culture.
- The author subverts the archetype of the 'wise old mentor' by making the character deeply flawed and unreliable.

Teaching tip: In literature, this refers to universal patterns rather than just clichés; it implies a deep, shared cultural meaning.

### 4. psychological concept

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Academic

an idea or image that all humans share in their minds, according to psychologist Carl Jung.

For teachers: a primitive mental image inherited from the collective unconscious of the human race.

- Jung believed that the archetype of the 'mother' exists in everyone's unconscious mind.
- Jungian analysis focuses on how these archetypes manifest in dreams and influence individual personality development.

### 5. to model or represent

verb · CEFR C2 · Academic · Formal

to represent something as a typical example or model.

For teachers: to model, depict, or categorize something according to a specific archetype.

- The director chose to archetype the villain as a cold, calculating machine.
- Critics argued that the film tended to archetype its female characters rather than giving them unique personalities.

## Examples

- The hero is a classic archetype in many stories.
- The protagonist in the novel fits the archetype of the reluctant leader who must save his people.
- Jungian psychology suggests that humans are born with a collective unconscious containing archetypes that influence our behavior and dreams throughout our lives.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.