prophylactic
prophylactic Lexical Profile
prophylactic Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Intended to prevent disease, infection, or other unwanted medical outcomes before they occur.
"The physician prescribed a prophylactic course of antibiotics prior to the dental surgery."
• noun
A medicine, vaccine, or course of action used to prevent disease or infection.
"Travelers visiting tropical regions are often advised to take an antimalarial prophylactic."
North American A barrier contraceptive device, especially a condom, used to prevent sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
"Public health clinics distribute free prophylactics to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases."
• Rhymes for prophylactic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century via French from Ancient Greek 'prophylaktikos', meaning 'precautionary', derived from 'prophylassein' ('to keep guard before'), combining 'pro-' ('before') and 'phylassein' ('to watch' or 'to guard').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.