Proterogyny, prot-e-roj′i-ni, n. the maturity of the stigmas of a perfect flower before its anthers have matured their pollen.—adj. Proterog′ynous.
Protervity, prō-ter′vi-ti, n. peevishness, wantonness:—pl. Proter′vities. [O. Fr.,—L.,—protervus, wanton—pro, forth, terĕre, to bruise.]
Protest, prō-test′, v.i. to bear witness before others: to declare openly: to give a solemn declaration of opinion (against).—v.t. to make a solemn declaration of: to note, as a bill of exchange, on account of non-acceptance or non-payment: (rare) to call as a witness: (obs.) to publish, make known: (Shak.) to vow.—n. Prō′test, a solemn or formal declaration, esp. in writing, expressing dissent: the noting by a notary-public of an unpaid or unaccepted bill: a written declaration, usually by the master of a ship, stating the circumstances attending loss or injury of ship or cargo, &c.—adj. Prot′estant, protesting: pertaining to the faith of those who protest against the errors of the Church of Rome.—n. one of those who, in 1529, protested against an edict of Charles V. and the Diet of Spires denouncing the Reformation: a member of one of those churches founded by the Reformers: one who protests.—v.t. Prot′estantise.—ns. Prot′estantism, the Protestant religion: state of being a Protestant; Protestā′tion, an act of protesting: a solemn declaration: a declaration of dissent: a declaration in pleading; Prot′estātor; Protest′er.—adv. Protest′ingly. [Fr.,—L. protestāri, -ātus, to bear witness in public—pro, before, testāri—testis, a witness.]
Proteus. See Protean.
Protevangelium, prō-tē-van-jel′i-um, n. the earliest announcement of the gospel (Gen. iii. 15): an apocryphal gospel ascribed to James, Jesus' brother.
Prothalamium, prō-tha-lā′mi-um, n. a piece written to celebrate a marriage.—Also Prothalā′mion. [Gr. pro, before, thalamos, a bride-chamber.]
Prothallium, prō-thal′i-um, n. the green, leaf-like, cellular expansion which grows from the spore of a fern.—Also Prothall′us. [Gr. pro, before, thallus, a young shoot.]
Prothesis, proth′e-sis, n. in the Greek Church the preliminary oblation of the eucharistic elements before the liturgy: the table used. [Gr.,—pro, before, tithenai, to place.]
Prothonotary, prō-thon′ō-ta-ri, n. a chief notary or clerk: one of the chief secretaries of the chancery at Rome: a chief clerk or registrar of a court, in certain of the United States—also Proton′otary.—adj. Prothonotā′rial.—n. Prothonotā′riat, the college constituted by the twelve apostolical prothonotaries in Rome. [Late L.,—Gr. prōtos, first, L. notarius, a clerk.]
Prothorax, prō-thō′raks, n. the anterior segment of the thorax of insects.—adj. Prothorac′ic (-ras-).