prophylaxes

Variant of prophylaxis

noun pl. prophylaxes

  1. the prevention of or protection from disease; prophylactic treatment
  2. Dentistry a mechanical cleaning of teeth to remove plaque and tartar

Origin: ModL < prophylactic, based on Gr phylaxis, a watching < phylax, guard

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
link/cite print suggestion box