prophylactic
[proh-fuh-lak-tik, prof-uh-]
- defending or protecting from disease or infection, as a drug.
- preventive or protective.
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- Medicine/Medical. a prophylactic medicine or measure.
- a preventive.
- a device, usually a rubber sheath, used to prevent conception or venereal infection; condom.
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Origin of prophylactic
1565–75; < Greek prophylaktikós of guarding, equivalent to prophylak- (base of prophylássein to guard beforehand) + -tikos -tic. See prophylaxis
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for prophylactic
Contemporary Examples
Section 5, by contrast, works as a prophylactic measure, stopping discrimination before it can occur.
In some sense, their embrace of self-described black conservatives can be seen as a prophylactic measure.
Six months later, at a hospital 600 miles from home, my mom underwent a prophylactic double mastectomy.
The speech contained a sentence of prophylactic praise for initiative and enterprise, hard work and personal responsibility.
Yet many doctors recommend aspirin as a prophylactic for everyone at risk of heart disease.
Historical Examples
I find that as a prophylactic a little brandy is almost a necessity in this climate.
Cabbages and KingsO. Henry
And he stayed two or three hours; and he used no prophylactic.
WomanWilliam J. Robinson
It is not only an antidote, but one of those antidotes which taken in time is prophylactic.
Lux MundiVarious
Cold infusion of tar was used in our colonies as a prophylactic against the Small Pox.
Certain physicians employed a prophylactic remedy made up of very many substances.
Catholic Churchmen in ScienceJames J. Walsh
prophylactic
- protecting from or preventing disease
- protective or preventive
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- a prophylactic drug or device, esp a condom
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Word Origin
C16: via French from Greek prophulaktikos, from prophulassein to guard by taking advance measures, from pro- ² + phulax a guard
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for prophylactic
adj.
1570s, originally of medicines, "that tends to prevent disease," from Middle French prophylactique (16c.) and directly as a Latinized borrowing of Greek prophylaktikos "precautionary," from prophylassein "keep guard before, ward off, be on one's guard," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + phylassein, Ionic variant of phylattein "to watch over, to guard," but also "cherish, keep, remain in, preserve" (see phylactery).
The noun is first recorded 1640s, "a medicine or treatment to prevent disease;" meaning "condom" is from 1943, replacing earlier preventive (1822), preventative (1901). Condoms originally were used more to thwart contagious disease than to prevent pregnancy.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
prophylactic
(prō′fə-lăk′tĭk, prŏf′ə-)- A prophylactic agent, device, or measure, such as a vaccine or drug.
- A contraceptive device, especially a condom.
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- Acting to defend against or prevent something, especially disease; protective.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.