What is the Latin word for prototype?

The usual Latin words for “prototype” are exemplum, speciēs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“prototype” in Latin

exempluma sample, example; a warning example, deterrent; torture, exemplary penalty, chastisement speciēsseeing, view, look; spectacle, sight; external appearance, looks; general outline or shape

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

prototype

*exemplum primum (original, instead of which Cic., Att., 16, 3, makes use of the Greek ἀρχέτυπον, which we find afterward as a Latin word in Plin., Ep., 5, 10, 1): exemplum (model, or any object to guide us, in general): species (ideal, used by Cic. for the Platonic ἰδέα; Vid: Schutz. Lex. C. in v.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for prototype?: The usual Latin words for “prototype” are exemplum, speciēs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.