# precaution

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹiːˈkɔːʃən/ · frequency rank #17,214

## Definitions
1. Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent misfortune or to secure good.
2. A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act.

## Etymology
From French précaution, Latin praecautio, from praecavere, praecautum (“to guard against beforehand”); prae (“before”) + cavere (“be on one's guard”). See pre-, and caution.

## Easily confused with
- **predation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/precaution-vs-predation)
- **precautions** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/precaution-vs-precautions)

## Common misspellings (15)
`percaution`, `pprecaution`, `prceaution`, `preacution`, `precatuion`, `precauiton`, `precausion`, `precautino`, `precautionn`, `precautoin`, `precauttion`, `preccaution`, `precuation`, `prrecaution`, `rpecaution`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/precaution