Archetype (noun)

1. A typical example of a certain person or thing.
2. An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned.
3. A recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology.
4. A constantly recurring symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology, esp. a character, an action, or situation that seems to represent universal patterns of human life.

Origin:

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

Examples:

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