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  

/ ˌprəʊtəˈtɪpɪk, 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

During each docking and undocking sequence, the lander prototype will act as the target while Orion serves as the chaser spacecraft.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026

Initially, the prototype could follow simple voice commands to execute tasks across apps, including ordering food and comparing shopping prices.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

Among the debutantes climbing the hill last week were the Audi Nuvolari hybrid supercar, Jaguar’s Type 01 prototype, BMW’s latest M2, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, and Toyota’s magnificent-sounding GR coupe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Last year, most US intelligence agencies and departments surmised that it was "very unlikely" that a foreign actor used "a novel weapon or prototype device to harm" US personnel and their families.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Lawrence’s experience as an impresario of Big Science gave him an instinctive grasp of how to scale up a process from prototype to production.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Commercial rockets will carry the two lander prototypes into space.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026

Now it can create highly accurate prototypes to then be made via traditional methods.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Susanne Bieller, general secretary of the International Federation of Robotics, said humanoids with flashy skills that have impressed the public are often prototypes trained for a highly tailored demo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

“As Freddy’s continues to grow, we remain focused on supporting our franchisees through new restaurant prototypes, greater real estate flexibility, and development strategies that help position the brand for sustainable growth.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

At the heart of the story is southern California, whose cities became prototypes for the rest of the nation, whose love of the automobile changed what America looks like and what Americans eat.

From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser

“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

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

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 11, 2023

Frayne says the company has even prototyped holographic video content where you could, say, watch a stereoscopic 3D trailer for the next Avatar movie on the Avatar homepage and get multiple perspectives on the action.

From The Verge ● Jun. 1, 2022

Girlboss has prototyped the concept of its private social network with a Facebook group called “Girlboss Gang” that has more than 5,700 members, Ms. Amoruso added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2018

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

From New York Times ● Nov. 13, 2017

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

Kairos has tried to mirror the rapid prototyping of the aerospace industry by building engineering test units at a factory in New Mexico.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

The office is a “creation hub,” she said, where influencers can record Puma’s design prototyping lab supported by libraries of materials and equipment used to create Puma apparel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

But while scientists have made progress in prototyping microcombs, they have had limited success producing viable versions that can be applied in practical devices.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2024

Since around 1990 Perl has rapidly been gaining favor, especially as a tool for systems-administration utilities and rapid prototyping.

From The Jargon File, Version 4.2.2, 20 Aug 2000 by Steele, Guy L.

Related Words

• mock-up
• model
• precursor