protagonist

pro·tag·o·nist

P0611200 (prō-tăg′ə-nĭst)n.1. The main character in a work of fiction, as a play, film, or novel.2. In ancient Greek drama, the first actor to engage in dialogue with the chorus, in later dramas playing the main character and some minor characters as well.3. a. A leading or principal figure.b. The leader of a cause; a champion.4. Usage Problem A proponent; an advocate.

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[Greek prōtagōnistēs : prōto-, proto- + agōnistēs, actor, combatant (from agōnizesthai, to contend, from agōn, contest, from agein, to drive, lead; see ag- in Indo-European roots).]Usage Note: The protagonist of a Greek drama was its leading actor; therefore, there could be only one in a play. Ancient Greek also had words for the second and third actor. These were borrowed into English as deuteragonist and tritagonist, respectively, but the two terms are generally used only in technical discussions of drama. As early as 1671 John Dryden used protagonists to mean simply "important actors" or "principal characters": " 'Tis charg'd upon me that I make debauch'd persons ... my protagonists, or the chief persons of the drama." Some writers may still prefer to confine protagonist to its original singular sense, but it is useless now to insist that the looser use is wrong, since it is so well established and since so many literary works have no single main character. The Usage Panel accepts the looser use. In our 2004 survey, 86 percent of the Panel approved of the sentence Joyce's Ulysses has two protagonists: Leopold Bloom and Stephen Daedalus. Similarly, 84 percent accepted The novel, written from multiple points of view, has several protagonists. · Some people use protagonist to refer to a proponent, a usage that became common only in the 20th century and may have been influenced by a misunderstanding that the first syllable of the word is the prefix pro-, "favoring." Many readers will therefore find erroneous a sentence like He was an early protagonist of nuclear power. Certainly, most of the Usage Panel does. In 2004, 83 percent rejected this same sentence. Fortunately, words like advocate and proponent are standard in these contexts.

protagonist

(prəʊˈtæɡənɪst) n1. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) the principal character in a play, story, etc2. a supporter, esp when important or respected, of a cause, political party, etc[C17: from Greek prōtagōnistēs, from prōtos first + agōnistēs actor] proˈtagonism n

pro•tag•o•nist

(proʊˈtæg ə nɪst)

n. 1. the leading character of a drama or other literary work. 2. a chief proponent or leader of a movement, cause, etc. 3. (in ancient Greek drama) the actor who played the main role and other roles as well. 4. Physiol. agonist (def. 3). [1665–75; < Greek prōtagōnistḗs principal actor, leader =prôt(os) first + agōnistḗs contestant, actor. See proto-, antagonist]

protagonist

the principal character in the drama.See also: Drama

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	protagonist - a person who backs a politician or a team etc.; "all their supporters came out for the game"; "they are friends of the library"admirer, booster, supporter, champion, friendadvocate, advocator, exponent, proponent - a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an ideaanglophil, anglophile - an admirer of England and things Englishbeliever, truster - a supporter who accepts something as trueBoswell - a devoted admirer and recorder of another's words and deedscheerleader - an enthusiastic and vocal supporter; "he has become a cheerleader for therapeutic cloning"Confederate - a supporter of the Confederate States of Americacorporatist - a supporter of corporatismenthusiast, partizan, partisan - an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of some person or activityFrancophil, Francophile - an admirer of France and everything Frenchfree trader - an advocate of unrestricted international tradefunctionalist - an adherent of functionalismJacobite - a supporter of James II after he was overthrown or a supporter of the Stuartsloyalist, stalwart - a person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt)New Dealer - a supporter of the economic policies in the United States known as the New DealGraecophile, philhellene, philhellenist - an admirer of Greece and everything Greekmainstay, pillar - a prominent supporter; "he is a pillar of the community"Roundhead - a supporter of parliament and Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil Warseconder - someone who endorses a motion or petition as a necessary preliminary to a discussion or voteShavian - an admirer of G. B. Shaw or his worksendorser, indorser, ratifier, subscriber - someone who expresses strong approvalwell-wisher, sympathiser, sympathizer - someone who shares your feelings or opinions and hopes that you will be successfultoaster, wassailer - someone who proposes a toast; someone who drinks to the health of success of someone or some venturemaintainer, sustainer, upholder - someone who upholds or maintains; "firm upholders of tradition"; "they are sustainers of the idea of democracy"verifier, voucher - someone who vouches for another or for the correctness of a statementWhig - a supporter of the American Revolution
	2.	protagonist - the principal character in a work of fictionagonistantihero - a protagonist who lacks the characteristics that would make him a hero (or her a heroine)

protagonist

noun1. supporter, leader, champion, advocate, exponent, mainstay, prime mover, standard-bearer, moving spirit, torchbearer an active protagonist of his country's membership of the EU2. leading character, lead, principal, central character, hero or heroine the protagonist of J.D. Salinger's novel

protagonist

nounThe main performer in a theatrical production:lead, principal, star.

Translations

hovedpersonprotagonistprotagonistaгеройпротагонист