protective

CEFRB2

/pɹəˈtɛk.tɪv/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Intended to keep someone or something safe from harm.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Something that protects.

Examples

  • Birds, for instance, have a special protective device.

  • Man, too, has been given protective devices against extreme temperatures.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
1

Also pronounced

  • /pɹəˈtek.tɪv/
  • /pɹoʊˈtɛk.tɪv/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Wishing to protect; defensive of somebody or something.

  2. Serving or intended to protect.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A condom.

More examples

In context

  • Workers should wear full protective clothing.

  • Mother bears are famously protective of their cubs.

  • The castle's moat served a protective function.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The mother is very blank of her young children, always watching them closely.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

Borrowed from Medieval Latin prōtēctīvus. By surface analysis, protect + -ive.