1. representing the most typical example of a particular kind of person or thing
2. relating to or having the characteristics of an archetype
Usage: psychology; literary criticism

Examples

• The story features an archetypal hero who saves the village from danger.
• She represents the archetypal mother figure in literature.
• His behavior was archetypal of a rebellious teenager.
• The film presents archetypal characters that audiences easily recognize.
• The archetypal villain wore a black cape and had an evil laugh.
• This painting shows the archetypal American family of the 1950s.
• The archetypal journey from innocence to experience is common in novels.