THE FIRST WORD

protege

PRONUNCIATION:

(PRO-tuh-zhay, pro-tuh-ZHAY) 

MEANING:

noun: One who is protected, guided, and supported by somebody older and more experienced.

ETYMOLOGY:

From French protégé, past participle of protéger (to protect), from Latin protegere, from pro- + tegere (cover). Ultimately from Indo-European root (s)teg- (to cover), which is the ancestor of other words such as tile, thatch, protect, detect, and toga. Earliest documented use: 1786.

USAGE:

"'I'm proud of him,' Big Tigger says of his protege."
Chris Richards; Peter Rosenberg; The Washington Post; May 31, 2013.