Etymology

protagonist

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Today it means: The main character, or one of the main characters, in any story, such as a literary work or drama. Full definition →

Ancient Greek πρωταγωνιστής (prōtagōnistḗs) ← Proto-Hellenic *agéřřō ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂ger-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  3. Proto-Indo-European*pró
  4. Ancient Greekπρό (pró)
  5. Ancient Greekπρῶτος (prôtos)
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ger-
  7. Proto-Hellenic*agéřřō
  8. Ancient Greekἀγείρω (ageírō)
  9. Ancient Greekἀγών (agṓn)
  10. Ancient Greekἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai)
  11. Ancient Greekᾰ̓γωνῐστής (ăgōnĭstḗs)
  12. Ancient Greekπρωταγωνιστής (prōtagōnistḗs)
  13. English todayprotagonist

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”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.