protection

American  

[pruh-tek-shuhn] / prəˈtɛk ʃən /

noun

1. the act of protecting or the state of being protected; preservation from injury or harm.

   Synonyms:

   safety, refuge, security

2. a thing, person, or group that protects.

   This vaccine is a protection against disease.

   Synonyms:

   bulwark, shield, defense, guard

3. patronage.

   Synonyms:

   sponsorship, aegis

4. Insurance. coverage.

5. Informal.

   1. money paid to racketeers for a guarantee against threatened violence.

   2. bribe money paid to the police, politicians, or other authorities for overlooking criminal activity.

6. Economics. protectionism.

7. a document that assures safety from harm, delay, or the like, for the person, persons, or property specified in it.

   Synonyms:

   permit, pass

8. Archaic. a document given by the U.S. customs authorities to a sailor traveling abroad certifying that the holder is a citizen of the U.S.

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protection British  

/ prəˈtɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act of protecting or the condition of being protected

2. something that protects

3. 1. the imposition of duties or quotas on imports, designed for the protection of domestic industries against overseas competition, expansion of domestic employment, etc

   2. Also called: protectionism.  the system, policy, or theory of such restrictions Compare free trade

4. a document that grants protection or immunity from arrest or harassment to a person, esp a traveller

5. mountaineering security on a climb provided by running belays, etc

6. informal

   1. Also called: protection money.  money demanded by gangsters for freedom from molestation

   2. freedom from molestation purchased in this way

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Related Words

See cover.

Other Word Forms

• nonprotection
  noun
• overprotection
  noun
• protectional
  adjective
• protectionism
  noun
• protectionist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of protection

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English proteccio(u)n, from Late Latin prōtēctiōn-, stem of prōtēctiō “shelter,” literally, “a covering in front”; equivalent to protect + -ion

Explanation

Protection refers to keeping something or someone safe. Through protection, we shelter and defend things. Since protecting is to shelter from harm, protection is the act of doing so. Children are under the protection of their parents, who keep them safe. The Secret Service is responsible for the protection of the President. Many famous people hire bodyguards, who offer protection. A security guard offers protection to a bank or store. Also, a house gives you protection from the weather. Valuable things and vulnerable people need the most protection. Protection keeps things and people safe.

Example Sentences

The colorless gas can harm the respiratory system of sensitive individuals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Most of the fires burning in California right now ignited during an offshore wind event that engulfed much of the state, said Battalion Chief David Acuña of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

Customs and Border Protection, acting on the warrant, detained Marquez as he returned to the country through the border checkpoint.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency said that while it understood "the considerable public interest in this particular whale," it stressed that people should keep a safe distance and refrain from approaching the whale.

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

“The Child Protection people took me to see her. It was the right thing to do,” he said quaveringly, beginning to wail.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• conservation
• insurance
• preservation
• safeguard
• safety
• security
• shelter
• stability