What does protagonist mean?
Word: Protagonist
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Protagonist means the main character in a story, play or film. It can also mean a leading figure in a movement or cause.
Synonyms: lead, hero
Word origin: Comes from Greek, from protos and a word for an actor or contestant.
How do you spell protagonist?
Syllables: pro - tag - o - nist
Tricky part: The two vowels on either side of the g are often swapped, because the second one fades in speech.
Watch out for: protaganist, protoganist
Memory tip: Imagine the lead actor playing tag on stage: tag, then on, fixes those two vowels in the right order.
Protagonist in a sentence
Example 1: The protagonist of the novel is a young girl from Shillong who dreams of becoming a pilot.
Example 2: Every film needs a protagonist the audience wants to cheer for.
Example 3: In our class play, Kabir was chosen as the protagonist because he could remember the longest lines.
Fun Fact
The word comes from the ancient Greek stage, where a single lead actor once played opposite a chorus. Aristotle credits the playwright Aeschylus with adding a second actor.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
protagon__t
a) as
b) is
c) es
d) us
Show answer
b) is. Like artist and dentist, this word for a person closes with the familiar ending.
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
The opening of protagonist comes from the Greek word protos. What did protos mean?
a) noble
b) first
c) brave
d) young
Show answer
b) first. Prototype, the earliest model of something, comes from the same Greek word.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. protagonist 2. narrator 3. playwright a. the person whose fortunes the audience follows most closely b. someone who writes dramas c. the voice that tells the story
a) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
b) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
c) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b. The writer of dramas is the playwright, the storytelling voice is the narrator, and the audience follows the protagonist.
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) protagonist : novel
b) sculptar : statue
c) choreographer : dance
d) cartographer : map
Show answer
b) sculptar : statue. A sculptor ends in or.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who is the protagonist of The Jungle Book?
a) Bagheera
b) Baloo
c) Kaa
d) Mowgli
Show answer
d) Mowgli
2. 'She was a protagonist of the campaign for cleaner rivers.' What does this tell us about her?
a) She was paid to report on its work.
b) She opposed it at every meeting.
c) She wrote a poem about its aims.
d) She strongly backed it and led others.
Show answer
d) She strongly backed it and led others.
