Quick Definition
πρωτοστάτης, ου, ὁ n.m. a leader, chief
Strong's Definition
from 4413 and 2476; one standing first in the ranks, i.e. a captain (champion)
KJV Usage: ringleader
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -ου | πρωτεύω + ἵστημι
87.52 · Status · High Status or Rank [including persons of high status]
leader, ringleader a person of top rank in view of leadership
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πρωτοστάτης, -ov, 6, (πρῶτος and ἵστημι), prop. one who stands in the front rank, a front-rank man, (Thue., Xen., Polyb., Diod., Dion. Hal., al.; ὥσπερ στρατηγὸς πρωτοστάτης, Job xv. 24); hence, a leader, chief, champion: trop. [A. V. a ringleader] τῆς αἱρέσεως, Acts xxiv. 5
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πρωτοστάτης prōtostatēs 1x
pr. one stationed in the first rank of an army; a leader; a chief, ringleader, Acts 24:5*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πρωτοστάτης, -ου, ὁ
(< πρῶτος, ἵστημι), [in LXX: Jb 15:24 AB*;]
prop., of soldiers, one who stands first, one in the front rank (Thuc., Xen.); hence, metaph., a leader: Ac 24:5.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πρωτοστάτης. For this word which is used metaphorically of a ‘‘leader’ in Ac 245, and nowhere else in the NT, see Poland , Veretnswesen, p. 90.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πρωτοστάτης (prōtostatēs) — ringleader. πρωτο-στάτης [ᾰ], ου, ὁ, (ἵστημι) one who stands first, especially the first man on the right of a line, right-hand man, ὁ π. τοῦ δεξιοῦ κέρως [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but also οἱ π. the front-rank men, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; either sense possible in [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
2. ={λοχαγός}, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
3. man in the uneven rows in a λόχος, opposed to ἐπιστάτης, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
II. metaphorically, chief or leader of a party, [NT+3rd c.AD+]; π. τοῦ θητικοῦ καὶ οἰκετικοῦ[Refs 4th c.BC+]