The process of creating preliminary models or samples of a product to test concepts, functionality, and design before full-scale production.
From Greek 'prototypos' meaning 'first impression', combining 'protos' (first) and 'typos' (impression, model). The term entered English in the 17th century but gained prominence in the 20th century with industrial design and technology development.
The word prototype originally referred to the first impression made by a stamp or seal in ancient Greece, making it literally about 'first strikes' of an idea! Modern prototyping has revolutionized innovation by making it faster and cheaper to fail early and iterate, transforming how everything from smartphones to spacecraft are developed.
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