Archetypal (adjective)

1. Serving as a perfect example of a particular type.
2. Representing or embodying an original type after which other similar things are patterned.

Origin:

From the greek "archetypos" (first-molded), from "arche" (beginning, origin) + "typos" (model, type).

Examples:

1. The Mona Lisa is an archetypal example of the Renaissance portrait.
2. The novel is an archetypal story of the hero's journey.
3. He is an archetypal figure of the American West, a symbol of rugged individualism.
4. The mother archetype is a common symbol in literature and mythology.
5. The archetypal image of the mother is a nurturing figure who provides love and care.