Preventative: meaning, definitions and examples

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preventative

 

[ prɪˈvɛntətɪv ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

healthcare

Intended to prevent something bad from happening

Synonyms

preventive, prophylactic, protective

Examples of usage

  • It is important to take preventative measures to avoid getting sick.
  • Regular exercise and a healthy diet are preventative measures against heart disease.
Context #2 | Noun

medicine

A substance or treatment designed to prevent a disease or medical condition

Synonyms

preventive, prophylactic

Examples of usage

  • The doctor prescribed a preventative to lower the patient's risk of infection.
  • Vaccines are a common form of preventative used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Translations

Translations of the word "preventative" in other languages:

🇵🇹 preventivo

🇮🇳 निवारक

🇩🇪 präventiv

🇮🇩 pencegahan

🇺🇦 профілактичний

🇵🇱 zapobiegawczy

🇯🇵 予防的

🇫🇷 préventif

🇪🇸 preventivo

🇹🇷 önleyici

🇰🇷 예방의

🇸🇦 وقائي

🇨🇿 preventivní

🇸🇰 preventívny

🇨🇳 预防的

🇸🇮 preventivni

🇮🇸 fyrirbyggjandi

🇰🇿 алдын алу

🇬🇪 პრევენციული

🇦🇿 qabaqlayıcı

🇲🇽 preventivo

Etymology

The word 'preventative' is derived from the verb 'prevent', which comes from the Latin word 'praeventus', meaning 'to come before'. The use of preventative measures has a long history in healthcare and medicine, dating back to ancient civilizations that recognized the importance of disease prevention. Over time, the concept of prevention has evolved, leading to the development of various preventative strategies and treatments.

See also: preventable, prevention, preventive, unpreventable.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,978, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.