Proteus

American  

[proh-tee-uhs, -tyoos] / ˈproʊ ti əs, -tyus /

noun

protei plural

1. Classical Mythology. a sea god, son of Oceanus and Tethys, noted for his ability to assume different forms and to prophesy.

2. a person or thing that readily changes appearance, character, principles, etc.

3. (lowercase) any of several rod-shaped, aerobic bacteria of the genus Proteus, sometimes found as pathogens in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of humans.

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Proteus British  

/ ˈprəʊtɪəs /

noun

1. Greek myth a prophetic sea god capable of changing his shape at will

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Proteus Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, a god who served Poseidon. Proteus could change his shape at will.

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Someone or something that easily takes on several different forms may be called “protean.”

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• protei
  plural

Example Sentences

They’re jobs that Amazon calculated cost more than a Proteus autonomous mobile robot.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 12, 2025

The team sees the Proteus taking off from a Royal Navy frigate, flying to pre-set co-ordinates, dropping the high-tech buoys, then returning to the flight deck.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2025

Three of the passengers were associated with Proteus Aero, a flight school based at the Santa Monica airport.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 12, 2024

Proteus is also expected to have the first underwater greenhouse in the world, so that the lab will be able to grow some of its own food.

From NewsForKids.net • Mar. 25, 2024

She told him that Proteus, the wise old god of the sea, could show him how to prevent another such disaster, but that he would do so only if compelled.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton