Prophylactic: meaning, definitions and examples

⚕️
Add to dictionary

prophylactic

 

[ ˌprɒfɪˈlæktɪk ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

medical

Intended to prevent disease; protective.

Synonyms

preventative, preventive, protective.

Examples of usage

  • Prophylactic measures such as vaccination have greatly reduced the spread of certain diseases.
  • Wearing a mask is a prophylactic measure to prevent the transmission of respiratory infections.
Context #2 | Noun

medical

A medicine or course of action used to prevent disease.

Synonyms

guard, preventative, preventive.

Examples of usage

  • She took a prophylactic before traveling to the malaria-prone region.
  • The doctor prescribed prophylactics for the entire village to prevent an outbreak of the virus.

Translations

Translations of the word "prophylactic" in other languages:

🇵🇹 profilático

🇮🇳 निवारक (nivaarak)

🇩🇪 prophylaktisch

🇮🇩 profilaksis

🇺🇦 профілактичний

🇵🇱 profilaktyczny

🇯🇵 予防的 (yobō-teki)

🇫🇷 prophylactique

🇪🇸 profiláctico

🇹🇷 profilaktik

🇰🇷 예방의 (yebang-ui)

🇸🇦 وقائي (wiqāʾī)

🇨🇿 profylaktický

🇸🇰 profylaktický

🇨🇳 预防性的 (yùfáng xìng de)

🇸🇮 profilaktičen

🇮🇸 fyrirbyggjandi

🇰🇿 профилактикалық (prophylaktikalyq)

🇬🇪 პროფილაქტიკური (prophylaktikuri)

🇦🇿 profilaktik

🇲🇽 profiláctico

Etymology

The word 'prophylactic' originates from the Greek word 'prophylaktikos', meaning 'preventive'. It was first used in the medical context in the mid-19th century to describe measures taken to prevent disease. The concept of prophylaxis has been crucial in the field of medicine to protect individuals and populations from various illnesses.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,226, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.