Archetype
Etymology
From Greek archetypon, “original pattern,” from arkhē, “beginning, origin,” + typos, “model, stamp, impression.” Carl Jung adopted it for the inherited, universal images he believed structure the human unconscious, and that psychological sense strongly colors modern usage.
noun · /AR-kuh-type/
An original model or universally recognizable pattern that other instances echo.
What it names
The deep recurring pattern behind many surface variations — “the mentor,” “the trickster” — that a thousand particular characters or cases are versions of.
Example
The wise hermit who guides the hero is an archetype that shows up from ancient myth to modern film.
Related idea
A stereotype is a flattened, often prejudiced generalization; an archetype is a deep pattern that gives shape to many rich, particular forms.