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

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

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

Etymology

Origin of preventive

First recorded in 1630–40; prevent + -ive

Example Sentences

Earlier, he had been under preventive house arrest between August and November, but was sent to prison a few days ahead of schedule because he tried to damage his electronic ankle bracelet.

From Barron's

“We are implementing our ideals,” Newsom said in a 2022 speech, adding that expanding access to preventive care would save money by diverting people from costly emergency- room visits.

From The Wall Street Journal

Edison didn’t preventively shut down the lines in Eaton Canyon or Sylmar on Jan. 7, but said the delayed upgrade had nothing to do with that decision.

From Los Angeles Times

We have a responsibility to press for policies that strengthen, rather than erode, the preventive foundations that American households, health systems, and life sciences investors rely on.

From MarketWatch

The Goalkeepers report details how lives can be saved for relatively low amounts of funding for preventive measures including routine exams and immunizations.

From Barron's