prôtos
Erscheinungsbild
Traditionally held to be the superlative of πρό (pró, “before”) (compare πρότερος (próteros)), but it is unclear how such a contraction would come about. Could also be from a Proto-Indo-European *pr̥H- or *per-, with cognates including Lithuanian pirmas, Sanskrit पूर्व (pūrva), and Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬎𐬭𐬬𐬀 (paurva). In both cases, the ω (ō) and ᾱ (ā) forms are difficult to reconcile.
A more recent hypothesis derives the Attic and Doric forms from Proto-Hellenic *pro-atos.[1]
Pronunciation
Adjective
πρῶτος • (prôtos) m (feminine πρώτη, neuter πρῶτον); first/second declension