Prophylactic

Noun

 * 1) A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.
 * 2) 🇺🇸 Specifically, a prophylactic condom.
 * 3) * 1977, Human Life Center, International Review of Natural Family Planning, Human Life Center, St. John's University (1977), p. 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).
 * 1) * 1994, Mary Louise Roberts, Civilization Without Sexes: reconstructing gender in postwar France, 1917-1927, University of Chicago Press (1994), p. 96,
 * Given the widespread use of coitus interruptus and male prophylactics as contraceptive practices in France [&hellip;]
 * 1) * 2000, Peter Parnell and John Irving, The Cider House Rules: Here in St. Cloud's, Dramatists Play Service, Inc. (2000), p. 46,
 * Some men put the prophylactic on just the tip of the penis: this is a mistake, because the prophylactic will come off.
 * 1)  Any device or mechanism intended to prevent harmful consequences.
 * 2) * The securities laws are a prophylactic against stock fraud.

Adjective

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

Thesaurus
IUD, aegis, antacid, antidote, antiseptic, arm guard, aseptic, backstop, bag, birth control device, boiled, buffer, bulwark, bumper, condom, contraceptive, contraceptive foam, copyright, counteractant, counteractive, counteragent, counterirritant, covering, crash helmet, cushion, custodial, dashboard, decontaminated, defensive, deterrent, deterring, diaphragm, discouraging, disinfected, dodger, face mask, fender, finger guard, foot guard, forbidding, forestalling, fostering, fuse, goggles, governor, guard, guardian, guarding, guardrail, hand guard, handrail, hard hat, helmet, hygienic, immunizing, insulation, interlock, intrauterine device, knee guard, knuckle guard, laminated glass, life preserver, lifeline, lightning conductor, lightning rod, mask, mudguard, neutralizer, nose guard, nullifier, offset, oral contraceptive, pad, padding, palladium, parental, pasteurized, patent, pessary, pilot, preclusive, preventative, preventive, prohibitive, protecting, protective, protective clothing, protective umbrella, remedy, rubber, safeguard, safeguarding, safety, safety glass, safety plug, safety rail, safety shoes, safety switch, safety valve, sanitary, screen, screening, seat belt, sheltering, shield, shielding, shin guard, skin, spermicidal jelly, spermicide, sterile, sterilized, sun helmet, the pill, tutelary, umbrella, uninfected, vigilant, watchful, windscreen, windshield

Translations

 * Interlingua:


 * Russian: профилактический

Related terms

 * prophylaxis

Derived terms

 * prophylactically