Protomyth

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An initial form of a myth that is inferred or known about only from secondary sources; a motif that is not yet accorded the status of myth, but may (it is supposed) become one.

    "In the protomyth, for which the Latvian and Indie myths give evidence, the sun-maiden, which Helen strongly resembles, was married to the divine horsemen (v. (Robbins) Dexter [1980]: 21-22; Dexter [1984]: 138-142)."

Example

More examples

"In the protomyth, for which the Latvian and Indie myths give evidence, the sun-maiden, which Helen strongly resembles, was married to the divine horsemen (v. (Robbins) Dexter [1980]: 21-22; Dexter [1984]: 138-142)."

Etymology

From proto- + myth.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.