Relating to or having the characteristics of an archetype - a universal, inherited pattern or image that derives from the collective unconscious. Archetypal experiences or figures represent fundamental human experiences that transcend individual and cultural differences.
From Greek 'archetypon' meaning 'original pattern,' composed of 'arche' (beginning, origin) and 'typos' (type, pattern). Jung adopted this term from Platonic philosophy to describe universal psychological patterns that appear across cultures and throughout history.
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