Definition
A universally recognized character type, symbol, or pattern that appears across myths, literature, and human culture, representing fundamental aspects of the human experience. In Jungian psychology, archetypes are innate prototypes for personality and behavioral patterns that reside in the collective unconscious.
Example Usage
The hero is one of the most recognizable archetypes in storytelling, appearing from ancient epics to modern superhero films.
Origin
From Greek arkhe (first, original) + typos (type, impression), popularized in psychology by Carl Jung in the 1920s.
Fun Fact
Jung identified dozens of archetypes including the Wise Old Man, the Shadow, the Trickster, and the Lover—patterns he believed were hardwired into human psychology.
Related Terms
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