Pro·te·us
(prō′tē-əs, -tyo͞os′)n. Greek Mythology A sea god who could change his shape at will.
[Latin Prōteus, from Greek.]
pro·te·us
(prō′tē-əs)n. pl. pro·te·i (-tē-ī′) Any of various gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria of the genus Proteus, certain species of which are associated with human enteritis and urinary tract infections.
[New Latin Prōteus, genus name, from Latin, Proteus (the variability in the size of individual cells displayed by members of the genus being likened to the god's shape-shifting powers); see Proteus.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Proteus
(ˈprəʊtɪəs) n (Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth a prophetic sea god capable of changing his shape at will
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
Pro•te•us
(ˈproʊ ti əs, -tyus)
n. 1. an ancient Greek sea god, noted for his ability to assume different forms and for his prophetic powers.
2. a person or thing that readily changes appearance, character, principles, etc.
3. (l.c.) any of several rod-shaped, aerobic bacteria of the genus Proteus, sometimes found as pathogens in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of humans.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.