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
Tanya Benedicto Klich, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Seed funding from investors, accelerators, or venture funds helps founders take the first critical steps: building a prototype, hiring that first team member, or testing their idea in the real world.
—Rob Zielonka, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2025
Her first job was to make prototypes of pots to be mass-produced at a factory—a skill that brought her to Berlin and then the Soviet Union.
—Celine Nguyen, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
The eye test says Clifford’s cut from a prototype 3-and-D mold, given a 6-8 reach and, as a collegian, having guarded positions 1-4 on the floor like the guy in the other jersey just keyed his car.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 24 June 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 29 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prototype
noun
Share