archetype
noun
Thomas Babington Macaulay
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Archetype comes from the Greek verb archein ("to begin" or "to rule") and the noun typos ("type"). Archetype has specific uses in the fields of philosophy and psychology. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato, for example, believed that all things have ideal forms (aka archetypes) of which real things are merely shadows or copies. And in the psychology of C. G. Jung, archetype refers to an inherited idea or mode of thought that is present in the unconscious of the individual. In everyday prose, however, archetype is most commonly used to mean "a perfect example of something."
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Examples of archetype in a Sentence
Prinita Thevarajah, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2024
There were the archetypes of the English gent that was a popular thing back in the early 20th century.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024
The archetype of the killer clown might seem overdone, but Art the Clown of the Terrifier franchise has emerged as a contemporary horror icon, up there with Chucky, Freddy, Jason, Jigsaw and Pennywise.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
The work invited people to look at themselves and to reflect on the past and present through the images of gods and goddesses that possess the archetypes of beauty, strength and power.
—Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 10 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archetype. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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