Archetype
A recurring character type, symbol, or pattern that appears across many stories and cultures.
An archetype is a familiar mold—the hero, the mentor, the trickster, the quest—that readers recognize almost instinctively. Writers use archetypes to tap into deep, shared patterns and to build resonance quickly. They can be honored, subverted, or complicated for fresh effect.
Example
Gandalf fills the wise-mentor archetype, the older guide who prepares an unlikely hero for a perilous journey.
The Lord of the Rings · J. R. R. Tolkien