protagonism
ə noun
1.
the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.
2.
a proponent for or advocate of a political cause, social program, etc.
3.
the leader or principal person in a movement, cause, etc.
4.
the first actor in ancient Greek drama, who played not only the main role, but also other roles when the main character was offstage. Compare deuteragonist, tritagonist.
5.
Physiology, agonist.
Origin:
1665–75; < Greek prōtagōnistḗs actor who plays the first part, literally, first combatant, equivalent to prôt(os) first + agōnistḗs one who contends for a prize, combatant, actor. See proto-, antagonist
1665–75; < Greek prōtagōnistḗs actor who plays the first part, literally, first combatant, equivalent to prôt(os) first + agōnistḗs one who contends for a prize, combatant, actor. See proto-, antagonist
Related forms
pro·tag·o·nism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To protagonism
00:10
protagonism
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
protagonist (prəʊˈtæɡənɪst) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the principal character in a play, story, etc |
| 2. | a supporter, esp when important or respected, of a cause, political party, etc |
| [C17: from Greek prōtagōnistēs, from prōtos first + agōnistēs actor] | |
| pro'tagonism | |
| —n | |
| protagonist (prəʊˈtæɡənɪst) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the principal character in a play, story, etc |
| 2. | a supporter, esp when important or respected, of a cause, political party, etc |
| [C17: from Greek prōtagōnistēs, from prōtos first + agōnistēs actor] | |
| pro'tagonism | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
protagonist
1671, "principal character in a story, drama, etc.," from Gk. protagonistes "actor who plays the chief or first part," from protos "first" (see proto-) + agonistes "actor, competitor," from agon "contest" (see act). Meaning "leading person in any cause or contest" is from 1889.
Mistaken sense of "advocate, supporter" (1935) is from misreading of Gk. protos as L. pro- "for."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
protagonist [(proh-tag-uh-nist)]The principal character in a literary work. Hamlet, for example, is the protagonist of the play by William Shakespeare that bears his name.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Nearby Words
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