prophylactic

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Latin, from Ancient Greek πρό (pró, before) + φύλαξις (phúlaxis, a watching, guarding).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

prophylactic (plural prophylactics)

  1. A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.
    1. (US, specifically) A prophylactic condom.
      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:condom
      • 1977, Human Life Center, International Review of Natural Family Planning, Human Life Center, St. John's University, page 2:
        It is not clear whether such education is to be directed to homosexuals (for whom prophylactics are not a contraceptive) or to heterosexuals as well (for whom prophylactics are a contraceptive).
      • 1994, Mary Louise Roberts, Civilization Without Sexes: Reconstructing Gender in Postwar France, 1917–1927, University of Chicago Press, page 96:
        Given the widespread use of coitus interruptus and male prophylactics as contraceptive practices in France []
      • 2000, Peter Parnell, John Irving, The Cider House Rules: Here in St. Cloud's, Dramatists Play Service, Inc., page 46:
        Some men put the prophylactic on just the tip of the penis: this is a mistake, because the prophylactic will come off.
  2. (figuratively) Any device or mechanism intended to prevent harmful consequences.
    • 1984 December 8, Robert Halfhill, “Pornography, Free Speech and Gay Separatism”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 21, page 5:
      Since tere are increasingly powerful anti-free speech tendencies in the left in general and in the Lesbian and Gay movements in particular in the form of the antiporn movement and other tendencies, I will quote extensively from the second chapter of On Liberty, "On The Liberty Of Thought And Discussion," as a valuable and much needed prophylactic to these trends.
    The securities laws are a prophylactic against stock fraud.

Translations

[edit]

Adjective

[edit]

prophylactic (comparative more prophylactic, superlative most prophylactic)

  1. Serving to prevent or protect against an undesired effect, especially disease or pregnancy

Translations

[edit]

Synonyms

[edit]

Derived terms

[edit]
[edit]

Interlingua

[edit]

Adjective

[edit]

prophylactic (not comparable)

  1. prophylactic, preventive