proto-

CIDE DICTIONARY

proto-,  [Gr. prw^tos first, a superl. fr. pro` before. See Pro-.].

•  A combining form prefix signifying first, primary, primordial; as, protomartyr, the first martyr; protomorphic, primitive in form; protoplast, a primordial organism; prototype, protozoan.  [1913 Webster]
•  Denoting the first or lowest of a series, or the one having the smallest amount of the element to the name of which it is prefixed; as protoxide, protochloride, etc.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

proto-, comb. form 1 original, primitive (proto-Germanic; proto-Slavic).
2 first, original (protomartyr; protophyte).

Etymology

Gk proto- f. protos first