prototype

C2+ Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /ˈproʊtəˌtaɪp/ UK /ˈprəʊtəˌtaɪp/ See IPA manual

noun verb

Meanings

1

noun
an original model on which later versions are based; to make one

Engineers built a working prototype before mass production.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an original model on which... model archetype original template paradigm exemplarmock-uppattern

Opposites

copy replica derivative

Word family

Derived forms prototypalprototypicalprototyping

Related forms type typical

Etymology

From French prototype, from Late Latin prototypon, from Ancient Greek prōtotypon ('a first form'), from prōtos ('first') + typos ('impression, model, type').

prōtotypon Ancient Greek typos Ancient Greek

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Topics

Cause, Change & Process

# prototype

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** ˈproʊtəˌtaɪp
**IPA (UK):** ˈprəʊtəˌtaɪp

## Meanings
1. an original model on which later versions are based; to make one

## Examples
- Engineers built a working prototype before mass production.

## Synonyms
- model
- archetype
- original
- template
- paradigm
- exemplar
- mock-up
- pattern

## Antonyms
- copy
- replica
- derivative

## Derived Forms
- prototypal
- prototypical
- prototyping

## Related Forms
- type
- typical

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: prōtotypon
- Root: typos
- Affix: proto- - first

## Etymology
From French prototype, from Late Latin prototypon, from Ancient Greek prōtotypon ('a first form'), from prōtos ('first') + typos ('impression, model, type').

## AI Etymology
Prototype is from French prototype, from Late Latin prototypon, from Ancient Greek prōtotypon ('a first form'), from prōtos ('first') + typos ('impression, model, type'). Important recorded forms include prōtotypon (Ancient Greek) and typos (Ancient Greek). Morphologically, the word preserves a built structure whose named elements carry the historical sense into English. The modern sense remains close to that composition, with the parts narrowing into a single lexical item. In current use it covers an original model on which later versions are based; to make one. The wider family includes derived forms such as prototypal, prototypical, and prototyping and related words such as type and typical.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process

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prototype

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