What is a definiton for the word archetype?

Answer 1

1. An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned; a prototype: "'Frankenstein' . . . 'Dracula' . . . 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' . . . the archetypes that have influenced all subsequent horror stories" (New York Times).2. An ideal example of a type; quintessence: an archetype of the successful entrepreneur.3. In Jungian psychology, an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious.

Answer 2

An archetype is a universally recognizable symbol, pattern, or character that represents a typical example of a certain concept or persona. It often holds deep-rooted symbolic meaning and is found throughout literature, mythology, and culture.