Definitions of proto
-
(
combining
form)
indicating
the
first
or
earliest
or
original; "`
proto'
is
a
combining
form
in
a
word
like `
protolanguage'
that
refers
to
the
hypothetical
ancestor
of
another
language
or
group
of
languages"
-
A
combining
form
prefix
signifying
first,
primary,
primordial;
as,
protomartyr,
the
first
martyr;
protomorphic,
primitive
in
form;
protoplast,
a
primordial
organism;
prototype,
protozoan.
-
indicating
the
first
or
earliest
or
original; "`
proto'
is
a
combining
form
in
a
word
like `
protolanguage'
that
refers
to
the
hypothetical
ancestor
of
another
language
or
group
of
languages"
-
Sometimes
used
as
equivalent
to
mono-,
as
indicating
that
the
compound
has
but
one
atom
of
the
element
to
the
name
of
which
it
is
prefixed.
Also
used
adjectively.
-
A
prefix
in
words
derived
from
Greek
roots,
denoting
the
first
in
a
series
or
the
highest
in
rank.
-
In
chem.,
a
prefix
in
many
scientific
compounds,
denoting
the
first
or
smallest
degree
of
a
substance
which
combines
with
a
base,
as
protoxide,
the
first
or
smallest
proportion
of
oxygen;
the
first
or
earliest,
as
protogine;
the
earliest
or
lowest,
as
protozoa.
-
Denoting
the
first
or
lowest
of
a
series,
or
the
one
having
the
smallest
amount
of
the
element
to
the
name
of
which
it
is
prefixed;
as
protoxide,
protochloride,
etc.
-
See
prot.
Usage examples for proto
-
“
Thus
treated,
it
bears
a
certain
family
likeness
to
the
Doric
column;
and
one
understands
how
Jomard
and
Champollion,
in
the
first
ardour
of
discovery,
were
tempted
to
give
it
the
scarcely
justifiable
name
of "
proto
Doric."
”
– Manual Of Egyptian Archaeology And Guide To The Study Of Antiquities In Egypt by Gaston Camille Charles Maspero
-
“
Assume
that
the
diameter
of
the
missing
planet
was
20,
000
miles;
that
its
solid
crust
was
a
thousand
miles
thick;
that
under
this
came
a
shell
of
molten
metallic
matter
which
was
another
thousand
miles
thick;
and
that
the
space,
16,
000
miles
in
diameter,
within
this,
was
occupied
by
the
equally
dense
mass
of
gases
above
the "
critical
point",
which,
entering
into
a
proto
chemical
combination,
caused
the
destroying
explosion.
”
– Essays: Scientific, Political, & Speculative, Vol. I by Herbert Spencer
-
“
For
instance,
a
whole
chapter
has
been
added
to
Egyptian
history
by
the
discovery
of
the
Neolithic
culture
of
the
primitive
Egyptians,
while
the
recent
excavations
at
Susa
are
revealing
a
hitherto
totally
unsuspected
epoch
of
proto
Elamite
civilization.
”
– History Of Egypt, Chaldæa, Syria, Babylonia, And Assyria In The Light Of Recent Discovery by L.W. King and H.R. Hall
-
“
56.
What
is
the
signification
of
Proto
”
– 1001 Questions and Answers on Orthography and Reading by B. A. Hathaway
-
“
It
had
meant
something
else
then,
but
the
proto
language
of
the
Hirlaji
had
no
precise
meanings;
given
by
itself,
it
seemed
to
mean
precisely
what
it
said.
”
– Warlord of Kor by Terry Gene Carr
-
“
And
Adam
Trehearne,
who'll
be
here
shortly,
collects
pistols
and
a
few
long-
arms
in
wheel
lock,
proto
flintlock
and
early
flintlock,
to
1700.
And
Philip
Cabot
collects
U.
S.
Martials,
flintlock
to
automatic,
and
also
enemy
and
Allied
Army
weapons
from
all
our
wars.
”
– Murder in the Gunroom by Henry Beam Piper
-
“
The
diverse
proto
historic
populations,
Gauls,
Franks,
Burgundians,
and
Merovingians,
considered
together,
present
a
stature
slightly
superior
to
that
of
the
French
of
the
present
day,
but
not
so
much
so
as
the
accounts
of
the
historians
would
have
led
us
to
believe.
”
– A Philological Essay Concerning the Pygmies of the Ancients by Edward Tyson
-
“
The
oxygen
of
the
atmosphere
also
unites
with
certain
minerals,
such
as
the
proto
salts
of
iron,
and
converts
them
into
peroxides.
”
– Geology by James Geikie
-
“
It
is
important,
then,
that
I
should
examine
more
closely
the
Proto
Egyptian
body
of
doctrine
to
elucidate
the
mutual
influence
of
it
and
the
ideas
suggested
by
the
practice
of
mummification.
”
– The Evolution of the Dragon by G. Elliot Smith
-
“
If,
under
some
condition
of
pressure
and
temperature
eventually
reached,
the
components
of
this
suddenly
entered
into
one
of
those
proto
chemical
combinations
forming
a
new
element,
there
might
result
an
explosion
capable
of
shattering
the
entire
planet,
and
propelling
its
fragments
in
all
directions
with
high
velocities.
”
– Essays: Scientific, Political, & Speculative, Vol. I by Herbert Spencer
-
“
The
entry
of
the
nurse
a
moment
since,
with
a
proto
stimulant
on
a
tray,
had
let
him
out
to
tear
down
the
stairs
to
the
garden,
rudely
thrusting
aside
the
noble
owner
of
the
house,
out
of
bounds
in
a
dressing-
gown
and
able
to
defy
Society.
”
– When Ghost Meets Ghost by William Frend De Morgan
-
“
Some,
from
a
feeling
of
deep
pity
for
the
poor
young
girl
who
was
to
be
almost
the
proto
martyr
of
the
new
faith.
”
– Mistress Margery by Emily Sarah Holt
-
“
He
was
the
proto
martyr
of
the
new
world,
and
the
story
of
his
martyrdom
and
the
early
church
in
Tlaxcala,
have
been
charmingly
narrated
by
Mendieta.
”
– In Indian Mexico (1908) by Frederick Starr
-
“
The
conquering
race
is
that
which
is
supposed
to
have
been
of
Semitic
or
proto
Semitic
origin,
and
to
have
brought
elements
of
Sumerian
culture
to
savage
Egypt.
”
– History Of Egypt, Chaldæa, Syria, Babylonia, And Assyria In The Light Of Recent Discovery by L.W. King and H.R. Hall
-
“
Amongst
these
four
was
Fray
Luis
Cancer,
whose
name
was
destined
to
be
written
in
the
list
of
the
proto
martyrs
of
the
Catholic
Church
in
America.
”
– Bartholomew de Las Casas; his life, apostolate, and writings by Francis Augustus MacNutt
-
“
Originally
a
strong
and
able
defender
of
the
Romish
doctrines,
he
was
chosen
to
argue
with
Patrick
Hamilton,
the
proto
martyr
of
the
Reformation
in
Scotland,
with
the
object
of
inducing
him
to
recant.
”
– A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
-
“
Just
as
in
the
first
dawn
of
things,
when
the
proto
binary
compounds
of
matter
gave
rise
to
new
relations
together
with
their
appropriate
laws,
so
throughout
the
whole
process
of
evolution,
as
often
as
matter
acquired
a
hitherto
novel
state,
or
in
one
of
its
old
states
entered
into
hitherto
novel
relations,
so
often
would
non-
existent
or
even
impossible
laws
become
at
once
possible
and
necessary.
”
– A Candid Examination of Theism by George John Romanes
-
“
The
proto
salts
of
iron,
as
is
well
known
to
chemists,
precipitate
gold
in
the
metallic
state.
”
– Photographic Reproduction Processes by P.C. Duchochois
-
“
Such
a
shield
to
him
was
the
faith
of
Stephen
the
proto
martyr.
”
– The Expositor's Bible: Ephesians by G. G. Findlay
Rhymes for proto
-
lakota, toyota;
-
cota, mota, ota, quota, rota, tota;
-
biota, dakota, iota, mendota;
-
minnesota, sarasota;
