Dictionary

prophylactic en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /pɹɒfəˈlæktɪk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From Latin prophylacticus, from Ancient Greek προφυλακτικός (prophulaktikós, “prophylactic”).

Meanings

1. Serving to prevent or protect against an undesired effect, especially disease or pregnancy.

Forms

Deriveds

psychoprophylactic · prophylactically · pharmacoprophylactic · chemoprophylactic · zooprophylactic · metaprophylactic · prophylactic vinegar · prophylactic rule · nonprophylactic · immunoprophylactic

Relateds

prophylaxis

Synonyms

preventative

Translations (33)

hu profilaktikus (serving to prevent or protect) · uk профілакти́чний (serving to prevent or protect) · pl profilaktyczny (serving to prevent or protect) · nl voorbehoedend (serving to prevent or protect) · id profilaksis (serving to prevent or protect) · nl prophylactisch (serving to prevent or protect) · ga urchoscach (serving to prevent or protect) · bg профилактичен (serving to prevent or protect) · fi preventiivinen (serving to prevent or protect) · gl profiláctico (serving to prevent or protect) · no profylaktisk (serving to prevent or protect) · cs profylaktický (serving to prevent or protect) · pt profiláctico (serving to prevent or protect) · fi ennalta ehkäisevä (serving to prevent or protect) · ia prophylactic (serving to prevent or protect) · ru профилактический (serving to prevent or protect) · sv profylaktisk (serving to prevent or protect) · pl zapobiegawczy (serving to prevent or protect) · es profiláctico (serving to prevent or protect) · ca profilàctic (serving to prevent or protect) · fi profylaktinen (serving to prevent or protect) · fr prophylactique (serving to prevent or protect) · de prophylaktisch (serving to prevent or protect) · ar اِحْتِرَازِيّ (serving to prevent or protect) · cs profylaxní (serving to prevent or protect) · lv profilaktisks (serving to prevent or protect) · cs profylakční (serving to prevent or protect) · cs profylaktivní (serving to prevent or protect) · it profilattico (serving to prevent or protect) · da profylaktisk (serving to prevent or protect) · be прафілакты́чны (serving to prevent or protect) · ga próifiolacsach (serving to prevent or protect) · ast profilácticu (serving to prevent or protect)

prophylactic en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /pɹɒfəˈlæktɪk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From Latin prophylacticus, from Ancient Greek προφυλακτικός (prophulaktikós, “prophylactic”).

Meanings

1. A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.
2. (US, specifically) A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive. ▸ A prophylactic condom.
   • Given the widespread use of coitus interruptus and male prophylactics as contraceptive practices in France […] 1994, Mary Louise Roberts, Civilization Without Sexes: Reconstructing Gender in Postwar France, 1917–1927, University of Chicago Press, page 96:
   • Some men put the prophylactic on just the tip of the penis: this is a mistake, because the prophylactic will come off. 2000, Peter Parnell, John Irving, The Cider House Rules: Here in St. Cloud's, Dramatists Play Service, Inc., page 46:
   • It is not clear whether such education is to be directed to homosexuals (for whom prophylactics are not a contraceptive) or to heterosexuals as well (for whom prophylactics are a contraceptive). 1977, Human Life Center, International Review of Natural Family Planning, Human Life Center, St. John's University, page 2:
3. (figuratively) Any device or mechanism intended to prevent harmful consequences.
   • The securities laws are a prophylactic against stock fraud.
   • Since tere are increasingly powerful anti-free speech tendencies in the left in general and in the Lesbian and Gay movements in particular in the form of the antiporn movement and other tendencies, I will quote extensively from the second chapter of On Liberty, "On The Liberty Of Thought And Discussion," as a valuable and much needed prophylactic to these trends. 1984 December 8, Robert Halfhill, “Pornography, Free Speech and Gay Separatism”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 21, page 5:

Forms

Synonyms

condom · rubber · cum catcher

Translations (17)

pl środek zapobiegawczy (device or mechanism) · pl środek zapobiegawczy (preventive medicine) · fi ehkäisyväline (preventive medicine) · el προφυλακτικό (device or mechanism) · fi profylaksi (preventive medicine) · el προφυλακτικό (preventive medicine) · ca profilàctic (device or mechanism) · bg профилактика (preventive medicine) · fi ennalta ehkäisevä lääke (preventive medicine) · fi suoja (device or mechanism) · pl środek profilaktyczny (preventive medicine) · id profilaksis (preventive medicine) · fi suojakeino (device or mechanism) · ca profilàctic (preventive medicine) · id profilaksis (device or mechanism) · ga urchosc (preventive medicine) · fi ennalta ehkäisevä toimenpide (device or mechanism)