Definition of "protagonist" [pro•tag•o•nist]

• The main character in a drama or other literary work. (noun)
• In ancient Greek drama, the first actor to engage in dialogue with the chorus, in later dramas playing the main character and some minor characters as well. (noun)
• A leading or principal figure. (noun)
• The leader of a cause; a champion. (noun)
• Usage Problem A proponent; an advocate. (noun)
• The principal character in a play, story, etc (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• A supporter, esp when important or respected, of a cause, political party, etc (noun)

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• "The main protagonist is female, often develops complex relationships with the women she meets on her journey, and romance is mostly left in the background, at least in the first couple books."
• "Quinn, the main protagonist, is a middle-aged government official sent north to audit a remote area of land earmarked for a large and prestigious development."
• "Characterization, or rather the main protagonist, is without a doubt the biggest strength of the novel, before all other aspects - such as style, elements of "hard science", plotting or the lackluster worldbuilding."