# prophylactic

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹɒfəˈlæktɪk/ · frequency rank #47,847

## Definitions
1. A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.
2. A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.
3. Any device or mechanism intended to prevent harmful consequences.

## Etymology
From Latin prophylacticus, from Ancient Greek προφυλακτικός (prophulaktikós, “prophylactic”).

## Common misspellings (20)
`porphylactic`, `pprophylactic`, `prohpylactic`, `prophhylactic`, `prophlyactic`, `prophyalctic`, `prophylacctic`, `prophylacitc`, `prophylactci`, `prophylacticc`, `prophylacttic`, `prophylatcic`, `prophylcatic`, `prophyllactic`, `prophyylactic`, `propphylactic`, `propyhlactic`, `prpohylactic`, `prrophylactic`, `rpophylactic`

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