The startup's culture was intentionally protean. Job titles were fluid, and an engineer might spend one week coding and the next designing a marketing campaign. The founders believed this constant shifting of roles fostered innovation and prevented the calcification of ideas that plagued more established corporations.
In the passage, the word "protean" most nearly means...
- collaborative and team-oriented
- informal and unstructured
- exceptionally versatile and mutable (correct answer)
- focused on rapid growth
Explanation: The correct answer is 'exceptionally versatile and mutable'. 'Protean' means tending or able to change frequently or easily. The passage provides direct evidence of this by describing how roles were 'fluid' and involved 'constant shifting.' This ability to adapt and take on different forms is the core of the word's meaning. (A) is a possible characteristic of the culture, but it is not the meaning of 'protean'. (B) is too general; the culture is specifically described as changeable, not just unstructured. (D) is the goal of the startup, but 'protean' describes the method, not the ultimate aim.