protective
Americanadjective
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having the quality or function of protecting: protecting.
a protective covering.
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tending to protect.
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Economics. of, relating to, or designed to favor protectionism.
protective tariffs.
adjective
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giving or capable of giving protection
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economics of, relating to, or intended for protection of domestic industries
noun
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something that protects
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a condom
Other Word Forms
- nonprotective adjective
- nonprotectively adverb
- protectively adverb
- protectiveness noun
- semiprotective adjective
- semiprotectively adverb
- unprotective adjective
- unprotectively adverb
Etymology
Origin of protective
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.
Instead, they enlist help from mesothelial cells, which normally serve as a protective lining inside the abdominal cavity.
From Science Daily
Those mice also experienced less liver damage, reinforcing the idea that the microbiome itself plays a central protective role.
From Science Daily
“I was wearing the protective gear of an ice hockey player that we rented in Cortina,” he once told American Cinematographer magazine.
The discovery could help scientists design new bio-inspired materials for airplanes, protective gear, and medical uses, while also offering insight into neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
From Science Daily
Multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin, the protective layer surrounding nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.
From Science Daily
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.
