Standard Lemma guide

archetypal

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɑːkɪtaɪpəl/
  • General-American: /ˈɑɹkɪtaɪpəl/
  • CMU ARPABET: AA1 R K T AY1 P AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to an archetype.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

representing or constituting an original type after which other similar things are patterned

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • archetypal patterns
  • she was the prototypal student activist

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: archetypical, prototypal, prototypic, prototypical

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English archetype Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English archetypal From archetype + -al.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: arquetípic — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Dutch: archetypisch — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Finnish: arkkityyppinen — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • French: archétypal — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • French: archétypique — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Georgian: არქეტიპული (arkeṭiṗuli) — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • German: archetypisch — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Hungarian: archetipikus — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Italian: archetipale — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Polish: archetypowy — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Polish: archetypiczny — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Portuguese: arquetípico — of or pertaining to an archetype
  • Spanish: arquetípico — of or pertaining to an archetype