PPE

American  

[pee-pee-ee] / ˈpiˈpiˈi /

abbreviation

1. personal protective equipment: specialized clothing or other wearable gear that minimizes one’s exposure to sources of illness or injury, and in medical contexts helps to inhibit the spread of infection to others.

   Entering week three of this viral outbreak, the demand for disposable PPE, especially gloves and respirators, has already begun to exceed the supply.

2. British. philosophy, politics, and economics.

   Gerald is studying PPE at Oxford.

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PPE British  

abbreviation

1. philosophy, politics, and economics: a university course

2. personal protective equipment: clothing and equipment used to ensure personal safety in the workplace

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

PPE

At the time, care homes, GP surgeries and pharmacies were all expected to source their own PPE, something the report described as a "major failure in planning".

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

In total the UK government was forced to write off £9.9bn worth of PPE that was either unused or out of date, as well as £157m for unused healthcare equipment.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Although it was better to have purchased too much PPE in a pandemic than too little, it would "clearly have been better if supply had been calibrated more closely with demand", the report concluded.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

The idea was to treat offers to supply PPE with greater urgency if they came with a recommendation from ministers, MPs, members of the House of Lords, or other senior officials.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Every staff member wore PPE, and I'd spotted two EMTs in full hazmat suits coming out of an ambulance.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda