Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - prototype

n. 1 an original thing or person of which or whom copies, imitations, improved forms, representations, etc. are made. 2 a trial model or preliminary version of a vehicle, machine, etc. Derivatives prototypal adj. prototypic adj. prototypical adj. prototypically adv. Etymology: F prototype or LL prototypus f. Gk prototupos (as PROTO-, TYPE)