English
archetype
Archetype comes from Latin archetypum ‘original’, from Ancient Greek ἀρχέτυπον ‘model, pattern’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp- ‘to push’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)tewp-‘to push’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ergʰ-‘to begin’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to begin’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχήarkhḗ‘beginning, origin’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχέτυποςarkhétupos‘first-moulded’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχέτυπονarkhétupon‘model, pattern’neuter form of ἀρχέτυπος
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarchetypum‘original’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400architipe
- Englishearliest quotation 1658archetype
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)tewp-‘to push’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ergʰ-‘to begin’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to begin’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχήarkhḗ‘beginning, origin’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχέτυποςarkhétupos‘first-moulded’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχέτυπονarkhétupon‘model, pattern’neuter form of ἀρχέτυπος
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarchetypum‘original’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400architipe
- Englishearliest quotation 1658archetype
Earliest quotation: 1658, Thomas Browne, The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter V.: “According to that Cabaliſticall Dogma: If Abram had not…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp- ‘to push’
stop, stuff, typical, steep, stubborn, stub, timbre, stupendous, timpani, tympanum, 18 more
through Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to begin’
archive, archon, archenemy, 14 more
through Ancient Greek ἀρχή ‘beginning, origin’
Today it means
noun An original model of which all other similar concepts, objects, or persons are merely copied, derivative, emulated, or patterned.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp- / archetype