protégé

noun

pro·​té·​gé ˈprō-tə-ˌzhā How to pronounce protégé (audio)
ˌprō-tə-ˈzhā
Synonyms of protégénext
: one who is protected or trained or whose career is furthered by a person of experience, prominence, or influence

Examples of protégé in a Sentence

He was a protégé of the great composer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the protege turned pitmaster wanted to put his own riff on the dish that looks like a smoldering cigar, originally a playful transformation of the Cuban sandwich. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Hafley will call Miami’s defense, but Sean Duggan, a protege, a former player who has been with him since his Boston College days, will serve as his right-hand man in his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator. — Omar Kelly august 23, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026 Calle signed on for the second season of the Apple neo-noir as Val, a jack-of-all-trades sidekick and protege to Farrell’s John Sugar. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026 Much of the first episode sets up the mystery that the Green Lantern and his protege are aiming to solve before ending with a twist. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for protégé

Word History

Etymology

French, from past participle of protéger to protect, from Middle French, from Latin protegere

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of protégé was in 1786

Browse Nearby Words

protectrix
protégé
protégée
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Protégé.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prot%C3%A9g%C3%A9. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

protégé

noun
pro·​té·​gé ˈprōt-ə-ˌzhā How to pronounce protégé (audio)
: a person under the care or training of someone influential especially for the furthering of his or her career
Etymology

French, from protéger "to protect"

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