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contraception

American  
[kon-truh-sep-shuhn] / ˌkɒn trəˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

  1. the deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation by any of various drugs, techniques, or devices; birth control.

    Patients in this study must agree to practice contraception for the duration of their participation.

  2. a drug, technique, or device used to deliberately prevent conception or impregnation.

    You can also request free contraception by undergoing a simple, secure online consultation.

    Hormonal contraception, like any other medication, can interact with other drugs being taken.
contraception British  
/ ˌkɒntrəˈsɛpʃən /

noun

  1. the intentional prevention of conception by artificial or natural means. Artificial methods in common use include preventing the sperm from reaching the ovum (using condoms, diaphragms, etc), inhibiting ovulation (using oral contraceptive pills), preventing implantation (using intrauterine devices), killing the sperm (using spermicides), and preventing the sperm from entering the seminal fluid (by vasectomy). Natural methods include the rhythm method and coitus interruptus Compare birth control family planning

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
contraception Cultural  

  1. Any practice that serves to prevent conception during sexual activity.

Etymology

Origin of contraception

First recorded in 1885–90; contra- 1 ( def. ) + (con)ception

Explanation

Contraception is birth control, to put it bluntly; the general term for the use of a number of devices or acts that prevent impregnation during intercourse. The word is formed by mashing together the Latin word contra, meaning "against" and a shortened form of the old French word concepcion, meaning "conception" — in other words: "against conception." Like so many scientific terms it was first coined in the nineteenth century, when the science of birth control was beginning to be seriously considered. Contraceptives — birth control devices — that had been around in cruder forms, began to be mass-produced and eventually socially accepted.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dozens of universities across the country now carry emergency contraceptives in vending machines, according to the American Society for Emergency Contraception.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 21, 2023

"Contraception is essential for many women and this is a big step forward in making these services easier for women to access," she added.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2023

There are now 39 universities in 17 states with emergency contraceptive vending machines, and at least 20 more considering them, according to the American Society for Emergency Contraception.

From Washington Times • Jul. 1, 2023

“This research is a huge leap—we’re really excited about it,” says Joyce Briggs, president of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs, a nonprofit that has been advocating for a nonsurgical contraceptive since 2000.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 6, 2023

House of Representatives passed the Right to Contraception Act, which would give patients the right to access and use contraception and providers the right to furnish it.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.