prototype
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the first version of a product or machine that is built to see if an idea works.
n.an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process.
Simple“The engineers built a wooden prototype of the new car to test the seating.”
In context“The design team presented a functional prototype to the investors, demonstrating that the battery technology was viable for mass production.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.the original form of something that later versions are based on.
n.an original type, form, or instance that serves as a basis or standard for later stages.
Simple“This 19th-century machine was the prototype for all modern printing presses.”
In context“Scholars argue that this early manuscript served as the prototype for the various regional versions of the myth found across the continent.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a line of code that tells a computer the name and basic details of a function.
n.a declaration of a function that specifies the name, return type, and parameters, but omits the implementation body.
Simple“You need to define the function prototype at the top of your code.”
In context“The compiler threw an error because the function call did not match the arguments specified in the prototype.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make a first version of something to test it.
v.to create a preliminary version or model of a product or system.
Simple“We need to prototype the app's interface before we start the actual coding.”
In context“The startup spent six months prototyping different wing shapes to maximise the drone's flight time.”
Synonymsmodeltest build
“This prototype provides a way for researchers, city planners and policymakers to monitor emission levels and identify hotspots in Manhattan.”
“She was awarded $12,500 to continue to develop her prototype.”
From French prototype or Late Latin prototypon, from Ancient Greek πρωτότυπος (prōtótupos, “original; prototype”), from πρωτο- (prōto-, “first”) (from πρῶτος (prôtos, “first; earliest”)) + τῠ́πος (tŭ́pos, “blow, pressing; sort, type”) (from τύπτω (túptō, “to beat, strike”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp- (“to push; to stick”)). The word is analysable as proto- + -type.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.