English Explanatory Dictionary

proto-

English dictionary entry

Meanings

prefix
  1. An early, primitive stage of development.
  2. Original, older.
  3. First in order; which stage is first.
  4. Primary.
  5. Most recent common ancestor (often hypothetical) of.
  6. A minimal proportion of a particular substance when in a combination. See protosalt.
  7. Relating to protons and/or positive charge.
  8. A proto-metal.
  9. Anterior.
prefix
  1. Alternative letter-case form of proto- (“used for proper names of protolanguages and their associated people”).

Pronunciation

/ˈpɹəʊ.təʊ/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-proto-.wav /pɹoʊ.toʊ/ [pɹoʊ.ɾoʊ]

Word forms

proto- prot-

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *próder. Ancient Greek πρό (pró) Ancient Greek -ᾰτος (-ătos) Ancient Greek πρῶτος (prôtos) Ancient Greek πρωτο- (prōto-)lbor. English proto- Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πρωτο- (prōto-), combination form of πρῶτος (prôtos, “first”), superlative of πρό (pró, “before”).

Synonyms

atelo- ur- eka- arch- archi- archo- cen- meio- antero-

Derived words

protoethics protoindustrial protophysics protoplasm prototype protozoon Proto-Baltic Proto-Celtic Proto-Czech Proto-Germanic Proto-Greek Proto-Indo-Aryan Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-Iranian Proto-Italic Proto-Kiranti proto-language Proto-Norse Proto-Oceanic Proto-Pontic Proto-Semitic Proto-Slavic Proto-Turkic Proto-Uralic protocarbonate protosymbol protosymbolic protosymbolism
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