PREVENTIVE

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

Etymology

Adjective

preventive (comparative more preventive, superlative most preventive)

Preventing, hindering, or acting as an obstacle to.

Carried out to deter military aggression.

Slowing the development of an illness; prophylactic.

(obsolete) Going before; preceding.

Noun

preventive (plural preventives)

(dated) A thing that prevents, hinders, or acts as an obstacle to.

(nonstandard) A thing that slows the development of an illness.

A contraceptive, especially a condom.

Usage notes

• Many speakers prefer to use preventive in adjective senses and preventative in noun senses.

Source: Wiktionary

Pre*vent"ive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. préventif.]

1. Going before; preceding. [Obs.] Any previous counsel or preventive understanding. Cudworth.

2. Tending to defeat or hinder; obviating; preventing the access of; as, a medicine preventive of disease. Physic is either curative or preventive. Sir T. Browne. Preventive service, the duty performed by the armed police in guarding the coast against smuggling. [Eng]

Pre*vent"ive, n.

Definition: That which prevents, hinders, or obstructs; that which intercepts access; in medicine, something to prevent disease; a prophylactic.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition