preventive

American  

[pri-ven-tiv] / prɪˈvɛn tɪv /

Also preventative

adjective

1. Medicine/Medical. of or noting a drug, vaccine, etc., for preventing disease; prophylactic.

2. serving to prevent or hinder.

   preventive measures.

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noun

• preventives
  plural

1. Medicine/Medical. a drug or other substance for preventing disease.

2. a preventive agent or measure.

preventive British  

/ prɪˈvɛntɪv /

adjective

1. tending or intended to prevent or hinder

2. med

   1. tending to prevent disease; prophylactic

   2. of or relating to the branch of medicine concerned with prolonging life and preventing disease

3. (in Britain) of, relating to, or belonging to the customs and excise service or the coastguard

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noun

1. something that serves to prevent or hinder

2. med any drug or agent that tends to prevent or protect against disease

3. another name for contraceptive

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpreventiveness
  noun
• preventiveness
  noun
• unpreventiveness
  noun
• nonpreventive
  adjective
• unpreventative
  adjective
• unpreventive
  adjective
• nonpreventively
  adverb
• preventively
  adverb
• unpreventively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preventives
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of preventive

First recorded in 1630–40; prevent + -ive

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Explanation

Anything preventive hinders or stops something, especially diseases. When you prevent something, you stop it from happening. Likewise, anything preventive is used to ward off a bad outcome. Wearing a warm coat is preventative: it keeps you from getting cold. Saving your money is preventive because it will keep you from the poorhouse if you lose your job. Most often, this word is used in medicine. Preventive (or preventative) measures keep you from getting sick. Stretching before a workout is preventive, because it can keep you injury-free.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preventive preventives

“Researchers always have this problem that those who are more health-motivated and have better preventive behaviors are the ones who go get their vaccines,” Geldsetzer explained.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

Those who received the vaccine displayed what Geldsetzer described as “large preventive effects,” correlating to a 20 percent reduction in dementia diagnoses.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

A dental home refers to an ongoing relationship with a dental care provider who can deliver preventive care, treatment, and follow-up services.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

It also reported "comprehensive preventive and anti-epidemic measures" had been implemented, without saying what the measures were.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

“If such preventive measures are not taken,” says Dr. Hueper, “the stage will be set at a progressive rate for the future occurrence of a similar disaster to the human population.”

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

She packs a special bag for Pepper, which includes food, water bowls, regular medications, flea and tick preventives, a litter bag, leash, collar, bedding and grooming supplies.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 4, 2023

Some antivirals, such as those for HIV, have worked as preventives.

From Science Magazine ● May 4, 2022

That’s different from the way we typically experience vaccines: as preventives for diseases that feel controlled or even obsolete.

From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2021

Websites touting miracle cures and preventives – herbs, teas, essential oils, tinctures and colloidal silver – are prevalent.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 31, 2020

Ordinary citizens also offered advice and preventives through the town’s newspapers.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

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