ar ‧ che ‧ type /ˈɑːkɪtaɪp $ ˈɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: archetypum , from Greek , from archein ( ⇨ ↑ arch- ) + typos 'type' ]
a perfect example of something, because it has all the most important qualities of things that belong to that type
archetype of
France is the archetype of the centralized nation-state.
—archetypal /ˌɑːkɪˈtaɪp ə l◂ $ ˌɑːr-/ adjective :
Byron was the archetypal Romantic hero.