How do you break down the meaning of protagonist in latin?

Answer 1

You can indeed break down the meaning of protagonist.

However you cannot do it in latin. You can do it in greek.

Protagonist has a greek etymology, not a latin one.

Both greek and latin have been dropped in western education. Greek was dropped earlier and greek roots are often mistakenly called ''latin''.

Protagonist derives from the Greek πρωταγωνιστής (protagonistes = protagonist)

from πρώτος (protos = first)

from αγωνιστής (agonistes = fighter)

from άγω (ago = I lead, I fetch, I lead away)

In Ancient Greek theatre the protagonist was the actor having the leading role. (second role = δευτεραγωνιστής (deuteragonist); third role = τριταγωνιστής (tritagonist)