protean.
Exceedingly variable; readily assuming different shapes or forms.
Meaning & usage
Exceedingly variable; readily assuming different shapes or forms.
An amoeba is a protean animalcule.
Alternative letter-case form of Protean: of or relating to Proteus.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Ancient Greek Πρωτεύς (Prōteús)bor. English Proteus Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Proto-Italic *-ānos Latin -ānus Old French -ainder. Middle English -an English -an English protean From Proteus + -an, referring to the Greek warden of sea-beasts, renowned for his ability to change shape.
A protein that has been slightly modified by water, dilute acid, or enzymes, but not modified to the extent of a metaprotein.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Ancient Greek Πρωτεύς (Prōteús)bor. English Proteus Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Proto-Italic *-ānos Latin -ānus Old French -ainder. Middle English -an English -an English protean From Proteus + -an, referring to the Greek warden of sea-beasts, renowned for his ability to change shape.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.