prototype
An original form or object which is a basis for other forms or objects (particularly manufactured items), or for its generalizations and models.
Other meanings
An early sample or model built to test a concept or process.
“The prototype had loose wires and rough edges, but it worked.”
A declaration of a function that specifies the name, return type, and parameters, but none of the body or actual code.
Related words
- prototype racing
- pretotype
- prototypable
- prototypal
- prototype-based
- prototype-based programming
- prototype extension
- prototype theory
- prototypic
- prototypical
- prototypicality
- prototype-oriented
Word history
From Ancient Greek "πρωτότυπος" (original; prototype).
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “prototype” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.