archetypical

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɑrkəˈtɪpɪkəl/ UK /ˌɑːkɪˈtɪpɪkəl/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
serving as a typical or perfect example; archetypal

He was the archetypical absent-minded professor.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · serving as a typical or... archetypal typical quintessential modelprototypicalrepresentative classic

Opposites

atypicalunrepresentative

Word family

Derived forms archetypically

Related forms archetype archetypal type prototype

Etymology

From archetype (from Late Latin archetypum, from Greek arkhétupon 'first-moulded model', from arkhḗ 'beginning' and túpos 'pattern, model') plus the adjective suffix -ical.

arkhétupon Ancient Greek arkhḗ Ancient Greek túpos Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# archetypical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˌɑrkəˈtɪpɪkəl
**IPA (UK):** ˌɑːkɪˈtɪpɪkəl

## Meanings
1. serving as a typical or perfect example; archetypal

## Examples
- He was the archetypical absent-minded professor.

## Synonyms
- archetypal
- typical
- quintessential
- model
- prototypical
- representative
- classic

## Antonyms
- atypical
- unrepresentative

## Derived Forms
- archetypically

## Related Forms
- archetype
- archetypal
- type
- prototype

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: arkhétupon
- Root: arkhḗ
- Root: túpos

## Etymology
From archetype (from Late Latin archetypum, from Greek arkhétupon 'first-moulded model', from arkhḗ 'beginning' and túpos 'pattern, model') plus the adjective suffix -ical.

## AI Etymology
Archetypical is an adjective meaning "serving as a typical or perfect example; archetypal". Historically, it is from archetype (from Late Latin archetypum, from Greek arkhétupon 'first-moulded model', from arkhḗ 'beginning' and túpos 'pattern, model') plus the adjective suffix -ical. The visible construction is part of the etymology: archetypical is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The modern meaning, "serving as a typical or perfect example; archetypal", follows the base word through the added English ending. The historical chain links Ancient Greek arkhétupon, Ancient Greek arkhḗ, and Ancient Greek túpos. Close English family members include archetypically, archetype, archetypal, type, and prototype.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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