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World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français
prophylactic
pro·phy·lac·tic
[
prfə láktik,
pròffə láktik
]
adjective
Definition:
protecting against disease:
protecting against infection or disease
noun
(
plural
pro·phy·lac·tics
)
Definition:
1.
health
Same as
condom
2.
drug that guards against disease:
a drug or agent that prevents the development of disease
[
Late 16th century. Via French
prophylactique
< Greek
prophulaktikos
prophulassein
, literally "keep guard in front of" <
phulassein
"to guard"
]
pro·phy·lac·ti·cal·ly
adverb
Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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pro·phy·lac·ti·cal·ly adverb
