prophylactic Hear it!

prophylactic definition

pro·phy·lac·tic (prō′fə lak′tik)

adjective

preventive or protective; esp., preventing or guarding against disease

Etymology: Gr prophylaktikos < prophylassein, to be on guard < pro-, before (see pro-) + phylassein, to guard < phylax, guard

noun

  1. a prophylactic medicine, device, treatment, etc.
  2. ☆ a condom

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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