prototype
noun
Did you know?
The prefix prot-, or proto-, comes from Greek and has the basic meaning "first in time" or "first formed." A prototype is someone or something that serves as a model or inspiration for those that come later. A successful fund-raising campaign can serve as a prototype for future campaigns. The legendary Robin Hood, the "prototypical" kindhearted and honorable outlaw, has been the inspiration for countless other romantic heroes. And for over a century, Vincent van Gogh has been the prototype of the brilliant, tortured artist who is unappreciated in his own time.
Examples of prototype in a Sentence
New Atlas, 14 Nov. 2025
Their prototype shows that a simple Stirling engine, paired with a radiative cooling panel, can run after sunset without fuel.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025
It's been a big fall for humanoid robots, with the reveal of two new prototypes in the US.
—PC Magazine, 13 Nov. 2025
The two-stage heavy lifter had just one flight under its belt before Thursday — a test mission that lifted off in January 2025, sending a prototype version of Blue Origin's Blue Ring spacecraft platform to orbit.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prototype
Cite this Entry
“Prototype.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prototype. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prototype
noun
Share