word
Mythology
archetype
AR-kih-typ
ˈɑːrkɪtaɪpListen
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Syllable breakdown
archetype
Dictionary meaning
A very typical example of a certain person or thing; in Jungian psychology, a primitive mental image inherited from the earliest human ancestors.
History and origin
Greek — 'archetypon' (original pattern) — central concept in Jungian psychology.
Examples
- The hero's journey is one of the most universal archetypes in storytelling.
Common mispronunciations
ar-KICH-eh-typeAR-kih-typ
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