c.1375, from O.Fr.
protection (12c.), from L.
protectionem "a covering over," from
protectus, pp. of
protegere "protect, cover in front," from
pro- "in front" +
tegere "to cover" (see
stegosaurus). The O.E. word for "protect" was
beorgan. In gangster sense, "freedom from molestation in exchange for money," it is attested from 1860. Ecological sense of "attempted preservation by laws" is from 1880 (originally of wild birds in Britain).
Protect (v.) is attested from 1526.
Protectionist in the economics sense is first recorded 1844, from Fr.
protectionniste (in political economy sense,
protection is attested from 1789).
Protectorate "state or territory (usually tribal) placed under the protection of a major power" is from 1860.
[pruh-tek-shuh
n] 
