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A cyclic group is generated by one element: $G=⟨g⟩=\{g^n:n\in \mathbb{Z}\}$. The hypothesis needs the qualification no proper nontrivial subgroup: every nontrivial group has the proper trivial subgroup $\{e\}$, so the literal wording admits no examples.

Under that intended hypothesis, choose $g\ne e$. The subgroup $⟨g⟩$ is nontrivial and must therefore be all of $G$, proving cyclicity. If $g$ had infinite order, then $⟨g^2⟩$ would be nontrivial and proper, since $g$ is not an even power of an infinite-order generator. Thus $g$ has finite order $N>1$ and $|G|=N$.

If $N$ were composite, choose a divisor $d$ with $1<d<N$. Then $⟨g^d⟩$ would have order $N/d$, strictly between one and $N$, again contradicting the hypothesis. ConsequentlyConversely, Lagrange's theorem shows that a group of prime order has only itself and its trivial subgroup. This proves the characterization of groups with no proper nontrivial subgroups, even without assuming finiteness at the outset.