contraception
Americannoun
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contraceptions
plural
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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.
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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.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
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.
The system would cover hospital and physician services, most prescription drugs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, dental and vision services, long-term care and gender affirming and reproductive care such as contraception and abortions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Myriad other reasons have been posited, such as increased use of contraception, more female education, and growing housing or childcare costs.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
They can flag sleep apnea, predict illnesses—even act as contraception.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
They plan to shorten waits for gynaecology care, have fewer painful procedures without informed consent or pain relief choices, and provide easier access to contraception.
From BBC ● May 11, 2026
Since then we have been criticized for our choice of the term "Birth Control" to express the idea of modern scientific contraception.
From The Pivot of Civilization by Margaret Sanger
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.
