Definition of prototypenext
1
as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like a literary character who is regarded as the prototype of the fanatical and intolerant pursuer of justice

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2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed the Greek epic that is the prototype of the hero myth

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3
as in original
something from which copies are made the manufacturer exhaustively tested the prototype of the vehicle before approving production

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prototype That paved the way for prototype satellite launches starting in 1959 and the operational start of the Transit satellite navigation system in 1964. Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026 This mission will use the new, more powerful Version 3 prototype of the world's largest rocket. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 July 2026 The company alleged that OpenAI asked ex-Apple employees in interviews about secret projects and asked them to bring in prototypes. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 15 July 2026 Since unveiling this prototype, Normal has announced a new thermodynamic computer called CN101 that uses digital processing on a silicon chip. Quanta Magazine, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for prototype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prototype
Noun
  • Those are just two examples of Russian FPV (first-person view) drones attacking civilians rather than military assets – a phenomenon that’s also playing out in the frontline cities of Kherson and Kramatorsk.
    Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Rather than discarding imperfect outputs, GIFT identifies those that are close to correct and uses them to generate new training examples.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
  • The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Damon is rugged and haunting in this absolute star turn as Odysseus, who, in a departure from the wilier original, is written as a true-hearted hero whose primary flaw was his unwavering loyalty to his men and his family.
    Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • The Citrus Heights location is larger than the original in North Highlands, Stupin said.
    Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • Also, the texture, shapes and colors of the candy make for a fun experience to sample, pick and mix up your own bag.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • This can’t be chalked up to a small sample or a rounding error.
    Sam Blum, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Further testing in mice—depleting NAD+ in some mouse placentas, supplementing models of others with NAD+ precursors—cemented the findings.
    Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 20 July 2026
  • This all-night-long event will be the best precursor to OffKai Expo Gen 5.
    Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • Yet several scientists told KFF Health News that the specimens most likely were indeed for use in developing mpox diagnostic tests.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Detectives later matched Hakim’s DNA to specimens found on the victim, according to court documents.
    Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • At some point in the mid-1850s, the river Padma suddenly carved a new path through the village of his ancestors in modern-day Bangladesh, flooding their homes and scattering them across the Indian subcontinent.
    Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
  • All across the United States, federal soldiers rounded up our Native American ancestors like cattle, pushing them into prison camps, many of which later became reservations.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Noun
  • In this instance, however, the search warrant, shielded from public view when initially filed, was inexplicably unsealed and made public the next day.
    Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Waymo in May after instances during which the self-driving cars collided with objects that a human driver could have easily avoided.
    Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prototype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prototype. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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