protomartyr

[proh-toh-mahr-ter]

noun

1. the first Christian martyr, Saint Stephen.

2. the first martyr in any cause.

protomartyr

/ ˌprəʊtəʊˈmɑːtə /

noun

1. St Stephen as the first Christian martyr

2. the first martyr to lay down his life in any cause

Word History and Origins

Origin of protomartyr¹

1400–50; late Middle English prothomartyr < Late Latin prōtomartyr < Late Greek prōtómartys. See proto-, martyr

Example Sentences

Brody Hale, a lawyer from Tyringham, Mass., who heads the St. Stephen Protomartyr Project, which seeks to preserve Catholic churches and monasteries across the nation, has been advising the founding members of the foundation since December, when he received a Google news alert about a story in The Times describing fears that the Monastery of the Angels might go up for sale.

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Protomartyr, formed in 2010, puts Joe Casey’s more openly literary, spoke-sung lyrics upfront as the band’s riffs blast, writhe, toll or entwine.

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On his latest album, 2018’s “Bunny,” which features Tegan and Sara and Greg Ahee from Protomartyr, Dear’s voice and songwriting give a more personal dimension to his reliably left-of-center yet dance-floor-ready beats.

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On Saturday, the band will be headlining a Northside Festival showcase in Brooklyn with the post-punk rockers Protomartyr; on Monday, they’ll help Le Poisson Rouge celebrate its 10th anniversary as part of the LPR X festival in Manhattan.

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Joe Casey, the vocalist and lyricist of the post-punk band Protomartyr, posits capitalism as a grim reaper in “Wheel of Fortune,” from the band’s coming EP.

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