protagonist

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”).

• (UK, General Australian) IPA^(key): /pɹəˈtæɡ.ə.nɪst/
• (US) IPA^(key): /pɹoʊˈtæɡ.ə.nɪst/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

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.

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]

• antagonist

• deuteragonist
• tritagonist

• agonist
• agonistes

• “protagonist”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “protagonist”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

protagonist c (singular definite protagonisten, plural indefinite protagonister)

1. (literature) protagonist

   Synonym: hovedperson

• “protagonist” in Den Danske Ordbog

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

• IPA^(key): /ˌproː.taː.ɣoːˈnɪst/

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• Hyphenation: pro‧ta‧go‧nist
• Rhymes: -ɪst

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

• antagonist

• protagonistisch

Borrowed from French protagoniste.

protagonist m (plural protagoniști)

1. protagonist

protagonist c

1. (authorship) a protagonist

   Antonym: antagonist

• protagonist in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• protagonist in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• protagonist in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)