Where does “prophylactic” come from?
Prophylactic comes from Ancient Greek πρό combined with a root meaning "to protect," ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European per- meaning "to lead or pass through."
prophylactic (English): A medicine which preserves or defends against...
Definitions
- A medicine which preserves or defends against...
Ancestry of “prophylactic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | prophylacticus | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | προφυλακτικός | prophylactic |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |