Definition of prototypenext
1
as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like a literary character who is regarded as the prototype of the fanatical and intolerant pursuer of justice

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2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed the Greek epic that is the prototype of the hero myth

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3
as in original
something from which copies are made the manufacturer exhaustively tested the prototype of the vehicle before approving production

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prototype That alone is noteworthy, but the prototype also happens to be a preview of a model expected to debut later this decade. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026 Major construction at Starbase began in earnest in 2018, with the first Starship prototype vehicle tests beginning in 2019. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026 His first prototype ran on a Raspberry Pi, a small hobbyist computer, with the AI doing its work on the device itself so an alert would not have to wait on a faraway server. William Jones, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026 Aerospace has no shortage of impressive prototypes, but the difficult work begins when a company must establish qualified suppliers, repeatable manufacturing processes, configuration control, quality systems, and full-scale production. Alex Krutz, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prototype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prototype
Noun
  • Wynn One example is the UAE's first casino resort, the Wynn Al Marjan Island, was originally due to open in the first quarter of 2027 but was recently delayed to September.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Take gingham as an example; everyone’s favorite picnic plaid.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • Moore and Minnelli returned for a 1988 sequel, while a 2011 remake starred Russell Brand, Jennifer Garner, Greta Gerwig and Helen Mirren, but neither matched the success of the original, which was named one of AFI’s top 100 comedies.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026
  • When the same walls had fire on both faces, their compressive strength dropped to 14% to 27% of the original.
    Giorgia Giardina, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • According to the health department, nearly twice as many sample groups of mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus this year compared to the same time last year.
    Katie Houlis, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Kyrgios, 31, provided a sample at June’s Mallorca Championships, which was confirmed to contain a metabolite of cocaine July 17 after testing.
    James Hansen, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In this telling, Ivan appears as a precursor to Stalin and other ruinous Russian despots.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In the meantime, fans must endure another six weeks of this slog, which might just be a precursor.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Prior to the 1830s, the plant specimens curated at private herbariums were few in number.
    Candace Barone, Florida Times-Union, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But the 16 bacteria-infecting viruses described on August 6 in Science were no ordinary specimens.
    Elie Dolgin, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • My three sons are 13th generation Americans whose ancestors fought as Patriots during the Revolutionary War.
    David Neil, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Visitors strolled through the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Saturday morning to kick off Obon Weekend, a traditional Japanese festival honoring the spirits of ancestors.
    Mike Stocker, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Another instance of Tisch’s Adams-like approach to her job involves the department’s gang database.
    Robert Gangi, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • When to Call a Professional There are instances when attempting to remove scratches from stainless steel can worsen the damage.
    Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 15 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prototype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prototype. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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