prophylactic

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

adjective

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

2. preventive or protective.

noun

1. Medicine/Medical.,  a prophylactic medicine or measure.

2. a preventive.

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

prophylactic

/ ˌprɒfɪˈlæktɪk /

adjective

1. protecting from or preventing disease

2. protective or preventive

noun

1. a prophylactic drug or device, esp a condom

Other Word Forms

• prophylactically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of prophylactic¹

First recorded in 1565–75; from Greek prophylaktikós “of guarding,” equivalent to prophylak- (base of prophylássein “to guard beforehand”) + -tikos -tic; prophylaxis

Word History and Origins

Origin of prophylactic¹

C16: via French from Greek prophulaktikos, from prophulassein to guard by taking advance measures, from _pro- ² + phulax a guard

Example Sentences

But more crucially, American military aid is prophylactic.

From Salon

Pallett says such prophylactic use of the drugs, though unavoidable, can “add fuel to the fire” by promoting the evolution and spread of genes for drug resistance.

From Science Magazine

Section 143 states "the regulations may impose a special restriction or requirement such as requiring a person to be vaccinated or to receive other prophylactic treatments".

From BBC

What they found was that it didn't matter whether the patient was treated with prophylactic antibiotics or not when it came to rates of post-operative infection.

From Science Daily

Thirty minutes after the single dose of alcohol, the prophylactic application of the gel reduced the alcohol level in the mice by 40 percent.

From Science Daily