archetypal
Meaning: Being the most typical or perfect example of a particular kind of person or thing; representing an original model or pattern.
Archetypal carries deeper connotations than 'typical' — it suggests a fundamental pattern or model from which all variants derive. In Jungian psychology, archetypes are universal, inherited patterns of thought (the Hero, the Trickster, the Great Mother). In everyday usage, 'the archetypal villain,' 'an archetypal English gentleman,' and 'the archetypal rags-to-riches story' are common collocations. The word is particularly popular in literary criticism and cultural analysis.
Examples
- He is the archetypal absent-minded professor — brilliant but hopelessly disorganised. 他是典型的心不在焉的教授——才华横溢却毫无条理。Es el arquetípico profesor despistado: brillante pero irremediablemente desorganizado.彼は典型的なうっかり教授だ――聡明だが絶望的に整理整頓ができない。그는 전형적인 멍한 교수다 — 총명하지만 절망적으로 정리 정돈을 못 한다.
- The novel tells the archetypal story of a young person leaving home to find their fortune in the city. 这部小说讲述了一个年轻人离家去城市闯荡的经典故事。La novela narra la historia arquetípica de un joven que abandona el hogar para buscar fortuna en la ciudad.その小説は、故郷を離れ都会で身を立てようとする若者という典型的な物語を描いている。그 소설은 고향을 떠나 도시에서 성공을 찾아 나서는 젊은이의 전형적인 이야기를 들려준다.
- With its cobbled streets and half-timbered buildings, it is an archetypal market town. 鹅卵石街道和半木结构建筑使这里成为一座典型的集市小镇。Con sus calles empedradas y sus edificios de entramado de madera, es una villa de mercado arquetípica.石畳の通りとハーフティンバーの建物が並ぶ、いかにも典型的なマーケットタウンである。자갈길과 목골조 건물이 늘어선 전형적인 장터 마을이다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, literary, media
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin archetypum, from Greek arkhetypon (pattern, model), from arkhē (beginning, origin) + typos (stamp, model). Popularised in the 20th century by the psychologist Carl Jung.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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