Prototype
Etymology
From Greek prōtotypon, “primitive form,” from prōtos, “first,” + typos, “impression, model.” The “first-made” sense carries straight through: a prototype comes before the finished thing and exists to be improved upon.
noun · /PROH-tuh-type/
A first, preliminary version of something from which later forms are developed.
What it names
The earliest working instance — not a model to be copied faithfully, but a trial run whose whole purpose is to be tested and revised.
Example
The first prototype barely worked, but it proved the idea was worth building properly.
Related idea
Both share the root typos, but an archetype is the timeless pattern behind many copies, while a prototype is the rough first draft that precedes refined versions.