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Definition of prophylactics - 6 dictionary results
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pro⋅phy⋅lac⋅tic

  [proh-fuh-lak-tik, prof-uh-]
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–adjective
1. defending or protecting from disease or infection, as a drug.
2. preventive or protective.
–noun
3. Medicine/Medical. a prophylactic medicine or measure.
4. a preventive.
5. a device, usually a rubber sheath, used to prevent conception or venereal infection; condom.
Origin:
1565–75; < Gk prophylaktikós of guarding, equiv. to prophylak- (base of prophylássein to guard beforehand) + -tikos -tic. See prophylaxis

Related forms:
pro⋅phy⋅lac⋅ti⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pro·phy·lac·tic   (prō'fə-lāk'tĭk, prŏf'ə-)   
adj.  Acting to defend against or prevent something, especially disease; protective.
n.  

  1. A prophylactic agent, device, or measure, such as a vaccine or drug.

  2. A contraceptive device, especially a condom.


[French prophylactique, from Greek prophulaktikos, from prophulassein, to take precautions against : pro-, before; see pro-2 + phulassein, to protect (from phulax, guard).]
pro'phy·lac'ti·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

prophylactic  (adj.)
1574, originally of medicines, "that tends to prevent disease," from Gk. prophylaktikos "precautionary," from prophylassein "keep guard before, ward off," from pro- "before" + phylassein, Ionic variant of phylattein "to watch over, to guard," but also "cherish, keep, remain in, preserve." The noun is first recorded 1642, "a medicine or treatment to prevent disease;" meaning "condom" is from 1943, replacing earlier preventive (1822). Condoms originally were used more to prevent the spread of disease than pregnancy.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: pro·phy·lac·tic
Pronunciation: "prO-f&-'lak-tik, "prä-
Function: adjective
: designed or tending to prevent harm or wrong prophylactic rule against profiting from inside information>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 2prophylactic
Function: noun
: something (as a medicinal preparation) that is prophylactic; especially : a device and especially acondom for preventing venereal infection or conception
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

prophylactic pro·phy·lac·tic (prō'fə-lāk'tĭk, prŏf'ə-)
n.

  1. A prophylactic agent, device, or measure, such as a vaccine or drug.

  2. A contraceptive device, especially a condom.

adj.
Acting to defend against or prevent something, especially disease; protective.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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