prophylactic
pronunciation
How to pronounce prophylactic in British English:
UK [ˌprɒfɪˈlæktɪk]
How to pronounce prophylactic in American English:
US [ˌprɑfɪˈlæktɪk]
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- Noun:
- remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease
- contraceptive device consisting of a thin rubber or latex sheath worn over the penis during intercourse
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- Adjective:
- capable of preventing conception or impregnation
- tending to ward off
- preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease
Word Origin
- prophylactic
- prophylactic: [16] Prophylactic comes from Greek prophulaktikós, a derivative of the verb prophulássein. This meant literally ‘keep guard in front of a place’, and hence ‘take precautions against’. It was formed from the prefix pro- ‘before’ and phulássein ‘guard’.
- prophylactic (adj.)
- 1570s, originally of medicines, "that tends to prevent disease," from Middle French prophylactique (16c.) and directly as a Latinized borrowing of Greek prophylaktikos "precautionary," from prophylassein "keep guard before, ward off, be on one's guard," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + phylassein, Ionic variant of phylattein "to watch over, to guard," but also "cherish, keep, remain in, preserve" (see phylactery). The noun is first recorded 1640s, "a medicine or treatment to prevent disease;" meaning "condom" is from 1943, replacing earlier preventive (1822), preventative (1901). Condoms originally were used more to thwart contagious disease than to prevent pregnancy.
Example
- 1. The region began to use quinine successfully as a prophylactic .
- 2. Vaccination and other prophylactic measures can be carried out .
- 3. Objective To investigate the causes and the prophylactic measures for the severe complications following correction of mandibular angle prominence .
- 4. Fever is common after vaccination , leading some to recommend prophylactic antipyretics.But do such agents affect vaccine immune response ?
- 5. The study of the relativity between nosocomial infection of the low birth weight premature infants and prophylactic use of antibiotics