The Collaborative International Dictionary
Protomartyr \Pro"to*mar`tyr\, n. [LL., fr. Gr. ?; ? first + ? martyr: cf. F. protomartyr. See Proto-, and Martyr.] The first martyr; the first who suffers, or is sacrificed, in any cause; -- applied esp. to Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
Wiktionary
n. Any of the first Christian martyrs.
Wikipedia
Protomartyr is an American post-punk band formed in 2008 in Detroit, Michigan. It features Joe Casey on vocals, Greg Ahee on guitar, Alex Leonard on drums and Scott Davidson on bass guitar.
Usage examples of "protomartyr".
The Blessed Leroy Brown died early, the protomartyr of his Church, but his work went on.
Richard and Eleanor took their thank offerings to the shrine of the protomartyr of Britain in Saint Albans.
My safety, our safety, depended, under Providence, Saint Patrick, Stephen the Protomartyr, and Saint Brendan, solely upon my own ineptitude, my own gross ineptitude: I might even say inefficiency.
Either as a politic effort to remove the evil reputation of such deeds, or as a conscientious offering to regain the favour of Heaven by means of a great work for the Church, Offa resolved to found a monastery, in honour of the protomartyr of Britain, upon the site of the martyrdom.
Being afraid of a Danish invasion, and thinking that the relics of the protomartyr, which had already been once carried away to Denmark, would not be safe in the shrine as it stood, he hid them under the altar of St.
We came upon Belgrade with the first and last snow of that year, and we stood through the Mass for the protomartyrs of Belgrade -- Stratonik, Donat, and Hermil -- and started a new life.
Into the Piazza of the Protomartyrs the procession rounded the sacristy of St.