protean
Americanadjective
-
readily assuming different forms or characters; extremely variable.
-
changeable in shape or form, as an amoeba.
-
(of an actor or actress) versatile; able to play many kinds of roles.
-
(initial capital letter) of, relating to, or suggestive of Proteus.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of protean
Explanation
When Picasso is described as a protean genius, it means that not only was he brilliant, but he changed the way he worked many times. Protean means able to change shape. Proteus was a Greek god who could tell the future, but when he was asked a question he didn't want to answer, he would change shapes. With someone or something protean, you get all the power of shape-shifting, plus some of the menace of a god you cannot control.
Vocabulary lists containing protean
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Quiz yourself on these words spoken by the man at the center of the "Laurel" / "Yanny" craze!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Hamilton
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Apart from HengTen, Evergrande also sold its UK-based electric motor making business Protean in the last week.
From BBC • Nov. 8, 2021
Outside Greater China, Evergrande has spent billions of dollars acquiring stakes in foreign automobile technologies for its new energy vehicle business, including Swedish NEVS, Dutch e-Traction and British Protean.
From Reuters • Sep. 16, 2021
‘Horseplay: Or, the Fickle Mistress, a Protean Picaresque’ Trav S.D.’s script, produced by Theater Askew, both honors and derides Adah Isaacs Menken, a hopeless 19th-century actress with a genius for self-promotion.
From New York Times • Feb. 19, 2015
Win or lose it is time to acknowledge, however grudgingly, the diffuse but still irresistible Protean dawn.
From The Guardian • Jul. 20, 2012
He has a marvellous command of languages; is Protean in his disguises; and in nimbleness of wit outdoes any other German I have ever come across....
From A Hero of Li?ge by Strang, Herbert
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
