Ancient Greek word root · Time & Order

proto-: first

proto- is an Ancient Greek root meaning “first”. Learn its variants and explore 3 connected words.

Meaning and variants

Meaning: first

Root forms: proto-, prot-

Source word: πρῶτος — first

Word family and examples

• prototype

  An original form or object which is a basis for other forms or objects (particularly manufactured items), or for its generalizations and models.

• protagonist

  the leading character in a drama or story

• proton

  A positively charged subatomic particle forming part of the nucleus of an atom and determining the atomic number of an element, composed of two up quarks and a down quark.

Root connections help with vocabulary recall. They are not a complete etymological history, and a spelling match alone does not prove a relationship.

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