Wiktionary

protagonist

See also: Protagonist

English edit

 
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Etymology edit

From Ancient Greek πρωταγωνιστής (prōtagōnistḗs, “a chief actor”), from πρῶτος (prôtos, “first”) + ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “a combatant, pleader, actor”). By surface analysis, prot- (“first”) +‎ agonist (“combatant, participant”).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

protagonist (plural protagonists)

  1. (authorship) The main character, or one of the main characters, in any story, such as a literary work or drama.
    Antonym: antagonist
  2. A leading person in a contest; a principal performer.
  3. (proscribed) An advocate or champion of a cause or course of action.

Usage notes edit

The use of protagonist to mean a proponent or supporter of a cause is a 20th century development that may have been influenced by the misunderstanding that the first syllable of the word is the prefix pro-, meaning favouring.[1] This usage is widely considered to be erroneous.[2][3]

Antonyms edit

Coordinate terms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

References edit

  1. ^ “protagonist”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
  2. ^ Pinker, Steven (2014) The Sense of Style, New York, New York: Penguin, →ISBN
  3. ^ Feloni, Richard (2015 November 30) “The 58 Most Commonly Misused Words and Phrases”, in The Independent‎[1], Independent Print Limited

Further reading edit

Danish edit

Noun edit

protagonist c (singular definite protagonisten, plural indefinite protagonister)

  1. (literature) protagonist
    Synonym: hovedperson

Declension edit

Declension of protagonist
common
gender 		Singular Plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative protagonist protagonisten protagonister protagonisterne
genitive protagonists protagonistens protagonisters protagonisternes

Further reading edit

Dutch edit

Etymology edit

Ultimately from Ancient Greek πρωταγωνιστής (prōtagōnistḗs). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˌproː.taː.ɣoːˈnɪst/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: pro‧ta‧go‧nist
  • Rhymes: -ɪst

Noun edit

protagonist m (plural protagonisten)

  1. protagonist, main character [from 18th c.]
    • 1780, M. C. Curtius, Aristoteles Verhandeling over de dichtkunst, tr. from German, publ. by Arend Fokke Simonsz., page 105.
      Hy voerde nog een perſoon in, en verdeelde het Treurſpel in twee rollen, van welke de eerste Acteur de hoofdrol ſpeelde en daarvan de Protagonist heette;
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    Synonyms: hoofdpersonage, hoofdpersoon

Antonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Romanian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from French protagoniste.

Noun edit

protagonist m (plural protagoniști)

  1. protagonist

Declension edit

Declension of protagonist
singular plural
indefinite articulation definite articulation indefinite articulation definite articulation
nominative/accusative (un) protagonist protagonistul (niște) protagoniști protagoniștii
genitive/dative (unui) protagonist protagonistului (unor) protagoniști protagoniștilor
vocative protagonistule protagoniștilor

Swedish edit

Noun edit

protagonist c

  1. (authorship) a protagonist
    Antonym: antagonist

Declension edit

Declension of protagonist 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative protagonist protagonisten protagonister protagonisterna
Genitive protagonists protagonistens protagonisters protagonisternas

References edit

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