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
Daniel Brown, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
When one prototype's cooling system underperformed, the retrospective revealed an unexpected airflow pattern that became the key to our final design.
—Wayne Yu, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Early prototype flight tests took place in 2021, followed by the maiden flight of the company's first 1:1 scale model in 2023.
—Paul Ridden
july 30, New Atlas, 30 July 2025
During the tests onboard the Royal Australian Navy’s aviation training vessel MV Sycamore, the crew was able to navigate for 144 hours without GPS access using the autonomous prototype system.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 July 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 8 Aug. 2025.
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prototype
noun
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