| a combining form meaning “first,” “foremost,” “earliest form of,” used in the formation of compound words (protomartyr; protolithic; protoplasm), specialized in chemical terminology to denote the first of a series of compounds, or the one containing the minimum amount of an element. |
| proto- or prot- pref.
[Greek prōto-, from prōtos; see per1 in Indo-European roots.] |
proto- or prot-
pref.
First in time: prototype.
First formed; primitive; original: protoplast.
Having the least amount of a specified element or radical: protoporphyrin.
