prototype
noun
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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
Ian Baker
august 24, New Atlas, 24 Aug. 2025
The uncrewed Starship prototype will follow a similar flight plan to the lastthree missions and aim to complete test objectives left untried during those tests, all of which ended prematurely.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2025
The first hybrid prototype named Wendy marks a new dawn in the race for immortality.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 19 Aug. 2025
Building a lean, capable core team can enable fast experimentation while allowing your organization to learn quickly from failures and prepare for a gradual and sustainable scale-up of successful prototypes.
—Vibhu Sharma, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 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 Aug. 2025.
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prototype
noun
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