archetype Synonyms
Another word for archetype
• noun (Context 1)
A very typical or quintessential example of a certain person or thing; an original model or pattern from which copies are made or later forms develop.
"The small coastal village is the very epitome of a traditional New England fishing community."
• noun (Context 2)
A recurrent symbol, motif, or character type in literature, art, or mythology that embodies universal human experiences.
"The wise old mentor is a familiar motif found in countless epic tales and folktales across cultures."
• noun (Context 3)
In Jungian psychology, a primitive mental image or inherited pattern of thought present in the collective unconscious, derived from the earliest human ancestors.
"Carl Jung proposed that dreams often draw upon universal archetypes shared across the human psyche."
Opposites of archetype
The opposite of archetype shifts depending on context. Common opposites include: