protean

See also: Protean

English

WOTD – 22 March 2009

Etymology

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek Πρωτεύς (Prōteús)bor.

English Proteus

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nos

Latin -nus

Latin -ānus

Old French -ainder.

Middle English -an

English -an

English protean

From Proteus +‎ -an, referrring to the Greek warden of sea-beasts, renowned for his ability to change shape.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹəʊ.tɪ.ən/, /pɹəʊˈtiː.ən/
• (US) enPR: prō'ti-ən, prō-tē'ən, IPA^(key): /ˈpɹoʊ.tɪ.ən/, /pɹoʊˈtiː.ən/
  • Homophone: (dated) protein

• Audio (US):

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  Audio (US):

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Adjective

protean (comparative more protean, superlative most protean)

1. Exceedingly variable; readily assuming different shapes or forms.

   Synonyms: multiform, polymorphic, polymorphous, shapeshifting; see also Thesaurus:multiform

   Hyponym: pleomorphic

   An amoeba is a protean animalcule.

   • 1954 February 15, Henry E. Michelson, “The Syndrome of Lupus Erythematosus”, in Modern Medicine, volume 22, number 4, Minneapolis, Minn.: Modern Medicine Publications, Inc., page 96:

     Virus infection of the blood and bone marrow is probably responsible for all forms of the disease. The viral theory of origin accounts for the protean manifestations of the condition.

   • 1980, Gershon Legman, The New Limerick:

     […] the word's protean expressiveness has been observed in a xeroxlore item printed in Robert Anton Wilson's Playboy's Book of Forbidden Words […]

   • 1984, “Recording of Special Merit”, in Hi Fi/stereo Review‎^[1], volume 49, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, page 80:

     Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, that protean creative duo, have worn many faces and played many roles over the years.

   • 1987, William A. Henry III, Time Magazine, volume 129:

     He loved to show off his protean talent.

   • 2020 October 27, Daphne Merkin, “Shifting the Focus From Sylvia Plath’s Tragic Death to Her Brilliant Life”, in The New York Times Book Review‎^[2], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     In the intervening decades she has become a protean figure, an emblem of different things to different people, depending upon their viewpoint — a visionary, a victim, a martyr, a feminist icon, a schizophrenic, a virago, a prisoner of gender — or, perhaps, a genius, as both Plath and Hughes maintained during her lifetime.

     (Can we archive this URL?)

   • 2025 January 3, The Christian Science Monitor's Editorial Board, “The art of Poland’s diplomacy”, in The Christian Science Monitor‎^[3]:

     In recent years, Europe has struggled to find the right balance between freedom of expression and the protean security concerns it faces.

2. Alternative letter-case form of Protean: of or relating to Proteus.

Derived terms

• proteanly

Translations

exceedingly variable

• Bulgarian: многообразен (bg) (mnogoobrazen), многолик (bg) (mnogolik)
• Catalan: proteic (ca)
• Czech: protéovský
• Dutch: proteïsch, wisselvallig (nl), veelvormig (nl)
• Finnish: monimuotoinen (fi), muuntautumiskykyinen (fi), kameleonttimainen
• French: variable (fr), changeant (fr), instable (fr), protéiforme (fr)
• German: vielgestaltig (de), proteisch (de)
• Polish: zmienny (pl) m
• Serbo-Croatian: protejski (sh), nestalan (sh)
• Spanish: proteico (es)

of or relating to Proteus

• Bulgarian: протейски (protejski)
• Dutch: proteïsch
• French: protéique (fr)
• German: proteusartig
• Portuguese: proteico (pt)
• Serbo-Croatian: protejski (sh)

Noun

protean (plural proteans)

1. (biochemistry) A protein that has been slightly modified by water, dilute acid, or enzymes, but not modified to the extent of a metaprotein.

See also

• Protea

Anagrams

• Paterno, operant, pronate, tropane