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 When a prototype app is finished, Meta employees will test it before its full public launch for both iPhones and Android devices, the documents state. Bobby Allyn, NPR, 24 June 2026 The second device is a one-millimeter-thick flexible silicone LED face mask, currently in prototype form, developed with iSMART Developments. Allison Palmer updated June 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026 Slate is continuing to build out that facility while also producing prototype vehicles. Michael Wayland, CNBC, 24 June 2026 There is a big difference between talking about an idea in theory and putting a prototype together in a few hours so people can react to it. Yuri Gubin, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for prototype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prototype
Noun
  • Their French 75, which is made with cognac, lemon and muscadet, is a perfect example thanks to a beautiful balance of elegance and ingenuity.
    Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • One example is a joint venture with CDA near the future Route 390 and I-490 interchange next to O’Hare.
    Marni Pike, Chicago Tribune, 5 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
  • Released at Watches and Wonders in April, the latest iteration retains the original’s 39 mm steel case, but has a few important technical and aesthetic upgrades.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 July 2026
  • Now the game’s future is looking decidedly brighter and many more players of the original may be tempted to give the sequel a second chance.
    Barry Collins, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • The boil-water notice was issued out an abundance of caution, the LADWP said, as additional testing is being done and samples collected.
    Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The ideal is to be able to smell a sample - then buy a prepacked equivalent.
    Peter Su, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Those resolutions are considered a precursor to the Declaration of Independence.
    Salena Zito, Washington Post, 1 July 2026
  • Feeding peanuts to the fans evolved, but the early days, whether for the precursor to Aramark or the work of Stevens, were all about a few simple items.
    Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • The faster growth sits in those same non-blood specimens, much of it colonization rather than serious infection.
    John Drake, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The team also found that the carbon in both rocks was relatively intact, meaning the specimens might be resistant to radiation and oxidation or that it may have been recently exposed to the Martian surface.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Kean comes from a long line of public servants, stretching 250 years to the country’s founding when one of his ancestors became New Jersey’s first leader since independence.
    Mike Catalini, Fortune, 30 June 2026
  • One of these is likely the evolutionary ancestor of all that is to come.
    Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Multiple instances of buildup were found throughout the establishment, including the inside of a microwave, the ice machine and a hand sink.
    Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
  • While none of these are universal markers — because in some instances, higher diversity can actually be associated with certain diseases — taken together, all of these can be markers of how well the microbiome is doing.
    Will Stone, NPR, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prototype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prototype. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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