prototype

American  

[proh-tuh-tahyp] / ˈproʊ təˌtaɪp /

noun

• prototypes
  plural

1. the original or model on which something is based or formed.

   Synonyms:

   pattern

2. someone or something that serves to illustrate the typical qualities of a class; model; exemplar.

   She is the prototype of a student activist.

3. something analogous to another thing of a later period.

   a Renaissance prototype of our modern public housing.

4. Biology. an archetype; a primitive form regarded as the basis of a group.

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verb (used with object)

prototyped, prototyping

1. to create the prototype or an experimental model of.

   to prototype a solar-power car.

prototype British  

/ ˈprəʊtəˌtaɪp /

noun

1. one of the first units manufactured of a product, which is tested so that the design can be changed if necessary before the product is manufactured commercially

2. a person or thing that serves as an example of a type

3. biology the ancestral or primitive form of a species or other group; an archetype

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prototypal
  adjective
• prototypic
  adjective
• prototypical
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• prototypes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of prototype

First recorded in 1595–1605; from New Latin prōtotypon, from Greek prōtótypon, noun use of neuter of prōtótypos “original”; see proto-, type

Explanation

A prototype is the original model, a sample on which to base future designs. A company designing a new toaster will first design and build a prototype and then test it out and see if it's any good. A prototype is your test case and becomes the model on which to base the design of the finished product. Often, however, the prototype can be a phase to work out the bugs. The prototype of our hands-free toothbrush was too dangerous; it needed to return to the lab for serious improvements. Like the word archetype, the word prototype can also mean the standard on which to base a definition of something. "A prototypical cheerleader is the girl to which all other cheerleaders might aspire."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prototype prototypes prototyped prototyping

“You have to be hands on keyboard. And so whenever we’re building prototypes for our own products, I’m in the prototype, and I really want to see how it feels.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

With the help of the University of Maine’s giant 3D printer, Navatek made a prototype and unveiled it at a press conference where a Guinness World Records representative declared it the world’s largest 3D-printed boat.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

More troubling, in 2017 he started a GoFundMe to raise money for the first medbed prototype.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

A prototype is expected to be ready to be installed in early 2027 for communities to see.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

The story of Siegfried is so familiar that that of his Norse prototype, Sigurd, can be briefly told.

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

These days just two co-founders can build prototypes, get their products into the hands of customers and kick the tires of what they’re building before needing to hire, says Aileen Lee, founder of Cowboy Ventures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

I vividly remember going to his design studio to review the prototypes of three dolls with him, take notes and make necessary adjustments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Most of the vehicles currently on the road, even those generating revenue, are still basically prototypes, he added.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

New entrants haven’t proved that they can transition from prototypes or limited production, according to a June report from the Center for Strategic & International Studies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

In blind tastes of some of the early prototypes, Coke pulled even with Pepsi.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

“They prototyped a lot of ideas,” said Yee, a father of three who took over from Akl as chairman of the board of KidSTREAM in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

The first digital camera was prototyped in 1975 by Eastman Kodak, which owned 90% of the U.S. film market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026

Together, they designed user interfaces, prototyped an app and coded a website based on the prototype.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 11, 2023

In 2019, Google revealed it has prototyped foldable devices for years.

From The Verge ● Oct. 18, 2021

“Some things can be prototyped and some things can’t,” he said.

From New York Times ● Nov. 13, 2017

Joabar said he expects new iterations of the corporate card to come out more quickly over the next several years, as AI is helping speed up the process from prototyping to launching.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

The design software market faces unique risks, Radke conceded, as generative AI reduces the time and skill required for prototyping and ideation, in turn blurring the boundaries “of who a ‘designer’ is.”

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

"We've spent the last four years developing, prototyping and testing technologies… We have a team of 30 people, and growing," says Rob Meyerson, co-founder and chief executive.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

These programmable nanostructures can be tailored for specific functions, allowing for rapid prototyping of diverse configurations.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2024

I'm going to need to manufacture an excuse to go stateside to explain this to them and supervise the prototyping.

From Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow

Related Words

• mock-up
• model
• precursor