[ ˌprəʊtə'nəʊt(ə)ri , prə'tɒnət(ə)ri ]
(also prothonotary )
■ noun ( plural protonotaries ) chiefly historical a chief clerk in some law courts, originally in the Byzantine court.
Origin
ME: via med. L. from late Gk prōtonotarios , from prōtos 'first' + notarios 'notary'.