Archetype
Noun
- A very typical example of a certain person or thing.
- An original that has been imitated.
- A recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology
- (In Jungian psychology) A primitive mental image inherited from the earliest human ancestors, and supposed to be present in the collective unconscious.
Example Sentences
“Her prized tulips appeared to be the perfect archetype of the species.”
“The village festival was the archetype of small-town charm — a parade, sunny skies, and friendly faces.”
“Tolkien’s Gandalf character is an example of the mentor archetype.”
Word Origin
Greek, mid-16th century
Why this word?
In Greek, “arkhetupon” means “something moulded first as a model.” This definition transfers to the English word “archetype,” which means “a standard example,” or “an imitation of an original.” In literature, art, and mythology, an archetype is a recurrent symbol. Swiss psychologist Carl Jung believed that humans share a collective unconscious, represented by archetypes, or primitive mental images. Jungian archetypes include the wise old man, the child, the mother, and the maiden.
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