# protagonist
## English
### Etymology

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”).

### Pronunciation

* (UK, General Australian) IPA: /pɹəˈtæɡ.ə.nɪst/
* (US) IPA: /pɹoʊˈtæɡ.ə.nɪst/
** Audio (US):(file)

### Noun

protagonist (plural protagonists)
* (authorship) The main character, or one of the main characters, in any story, such as a literary work or drama.
    Antonym: antagonist
* A leading person in a contest; a principal performer.
* (proscribed) An advocate or champion of a cause or course of action.

#### Usage notes

The use of protagonist to mean a proponent or supporter of a cause is a 20th century development that may have been influenced by the misunderstanding that the first syllable of the word is the prefix pro-, meaning favouring. This usage is widely considered to be erroneous.

#### Antonyms

* antagonist

#### Coordinate terms

* deuteragonist
* tritagonist

#### Related terms

* agonist
* agonistes

#### References

* ↑ “protagonist”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
* ↑ Pinker, Steven (2014) The Sense of Style, New York, New York: Penguin, →ISBN
* ↑ Feloni, Richard (2015 November 30) “The 58 Most Commonly Misused Words and Phrases”, in The Independent‎, Independent Print Limited

#### Further reading

* “protagonist”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
* William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “protagonist”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

## Danish
### Noun

protagonist c (singular definite protagonisten, plural indefinite protagonister)
* (literature) protagonist
    Synonym: hovedperson

#### Declension
### Further reading

* “protagonist” in Den Danske Ordbog

## Dutch
### Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek πρωταγωνιστής (prōtagōnistḗs). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˌproː.taː.ɣoːˈnɪst/
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: pro‧ta‧go‧nist
* Rhymes: -ɪst

### Noun

protagonist m (plural protagonisten)
* protagonist, main character [from 18th c.]
** 1780, M. C. Curtius, Aristoteles Verhandeling over de dichtkunst, tr. from German, publ. by Arend Fokke Simonsz., page 105.
    Hy voerde nog een perſoon in, en verdeelde het Treurſpel in twee rollen, van welke de eerste Acteur de hoofdrol ſpeelde en daarvan de Protagonist heette;(please add an English translation of this quotation)
    Synonyms: hoofdpersonage, hoofdpersoon

#### Antonyms

* antagonist

#### Derived terms

* protagonistisch

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from French protagoniste.

### Noun

protagonist m (plural protagoniști)
* protagonist

#### Declension
## Swedish
### Noun

protagonist c
* (authorship) a protagonist
    Antonym: antagonist

#### Declension
### References

* protagonist in Svensk ordbok (SO)
* protagonist in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
* protagonist in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)