prophylactic

[ proh-fuh-lak-tik, prof-uh- ]

/ ˌproʊ fəˈlæk tɪk, ˌprɒf ə- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR prophylactic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

defending or protecting from disease or infection, as a drug.

preventive or protective.

noun

Medicine/Medical. a prophylactic medicine or measure.

a preventive.

a device, usually a rubber sheath, used to prevent conception or venereal infection; condom.

RELATED WORDS

contraceptive, preventative, preventive

Nearby words

prophesy, prophet, prophetess, prophetic, prophets, prophylactic, prophylactic treatment, prophylaxis, propine, propinquity, propiomazine

Origin of prophylactic

1565–75; < Greek prophylaktikós of guarding, equivalent to prophylak- (base of prophylássein to guard beforehand) + -tikos -tic. See prophylaxis

Related formspro·phy·lac·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for prophylactic

Section 5, by contrast, works as a prophylactic measure, stopping discrimination before it can occur.
The Supreme Court’s Ruling and the End of the Civil-Rights Era|Adam Winkler|June 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Six months later, at a hospital 600 miles from home, my mom underwent a prophylactic double mastectomy.
I’m 25 and I Have the Angie Gene|Abby Haglage|May 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The speech contained a sentence of prophylactic praise for initiative and enterprise, hard work and personal responsibility.
Obama's Fighting Speech - Part 2|David Frum|January 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Yet many doctors recommend aspirin as a prophylactic for everyone at risk of heart disease.
Giving Medicine a Dose of Free Speech|David Frum|December 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Murray himself explains this decision as a prophylactic measure, a means to avoid hot-button issues of race and ethnicity.
Now All Americans Are Losing Ground|David Frum|February 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
His attitude is prophylactic, rather than polemic, for the “philosophy” has not as yet taken deep root.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6|Various
Now, there is no need of explaining the prophylactic importance of observations such as these!
Pedagogical Anthropology|Maria Montessori
He even regarded it as a prophylactic against certain diseases.
The Life of Sir Richard Burton|Thomas Wright
The belief in the prophylactic power of tobacco was, however, very generally held.
The Social History of Smoking|G. L. Apperson
Cold infusion of tar was used in our colonies as a prophylactic against the Small Pox.
Epidemics Examined and Explained: or, Living Germs Proved by Analogy to be a Source of Disease|John Grove

British Dictionary definitions for prophylactic

prophylactic

/ (ˌprɒfɪˈlæktɪk) /

adjective

protecting from or preventing disease

protective or preventive

noun

a prophylactic drug or device, esp a condom

Word Origin for prophylactic

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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for prophylactic

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.

Medicine definitions for prophylactic

prophylactic

[ prō′fə-lăk′tĭk, prŏf′ə- ]

n.

A prophylactic agent, device, or measure, such as a vaccine or drug.

A contraceptive device, especially a condom.

adj.

Acting to defend against or prevent something, especially disease; protective.