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
Zachary Laks, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
Cartweel Robotics aims to debut its full-body walking Yogi prototype at the Humanoids Summit held in Silicon Valley this December.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
Each new Songmont model undergoes wear testing; the brand fine-tunes and iterates its prototypes based on customer feedback.
—Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Barn jackets are still going strong this season, which is great news for the Waleses, who helped popularize Barbour's prototype throughout the mid-twentieth century.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 15 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 2025.
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prototype
noun
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