Protagonist

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pɹəˈtæɡ.ə.nɪst/

Definitions

1. The central character in a narrative who faces challenges and drives the story's action forward is critical to the plot's development
2. An important individual in a storyline, often confronting obstacles and influencing the narrative's direction significantly
3. The principal figure around whom the plot of a story or drama revolves

Etymology: In ancient Greek theatre, the "prōtagōnistēs" was the chief actor, the one who played the leading role and competed for prizes at festivals. The word combines "prōtos," meaning "first," with "agōnistēs," a term for a combatant or a participant in a contest. The contest was literal: the drama competitions at Athens, where the lead performer fought for the crown alongside the playwright. Over time the sense loosened from the performer to the role itself, and then to the person at the centre of any story. The literal meaning of the parts is still visible: a "protagonist" is the first one into the arena, the figure everything else is arranged around. The English word is a direct borrowing from Greek, and the Greek term also gave us "agonist," which keeps the original idea of struggle. "Antagonist" is its opposite, built from the same contest-word with the prefix "anti-" meaning "against."

Synonyms: hero, lead, central character, champion, main character

Antonyms: antagonist, villain, opponent, enemy, foe