PREVENTATIVE

preventive, preventative, prophylactic

(adjective) preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease; “preventive medicine”; “vaccines are prophylactic”; “a prophylactic drug”

preventive, preventative

(adjective) tending to prevent or hinder

contraceptive, preventive, preventative, contraceptive device, prophylactic device, birth control device

(noun) an agent or device intended to prevent conception

hindrance, hinderance, hitch, preventive, preventative, encumbrance, incumbrance, interference

(noun) any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome

preventive, preventative, prophylactic

(noun) remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease; “the doctor recommended several preventatives”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Adjective

preventative (comparative more preventative, superlative most preventative)

Alternative form of preventive

Noun

preventative (plural preventatives)

Alternative form of preventive

Usage notes

Preventative is in all senses synonymous with preventive. Many speakers prefer to use preventative in noun senses and preventive in adjective senses.

Source: Wiktionary


Pre*vent"a*tive, n.

Definition: That which prevents; -- incorrectly used instead of preventive.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

9 June 2025

HERMAPHRODITE

(noun) one having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs; at birth an unambiguous assignment of male or female cannot be made


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Coffee Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.

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