# protect

> English word · Verb · IPA /pɹəˈtɛkt/ · frequency rank #1,283

## Definitions
1. To keep safe; to defend; to guard; to prevent harm coming to.
2. To book a passenger on a later flight if there is a chance they will not be able to board their earlier reserved flight.

## Etymology
Attested in English since 1530, from Latin prōtēctus (“covered, protected”), past participle of prōtegere (“to cover the front, protect”) from prō, prō- (“before, in front of”) + tegere (“to cover”), see tegument. Displaced native Middle English shelden, from Old English sċildan (“to protect,” literally “to shield”).

## Easily confused with
- **protein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protect-vs-protein)
- **protest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protect-vs-protest)
- **protégé** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protect-vs-protege)
- **Proteus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protect-vs-proteus)
- **protected** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protect-vs-protected)
- **protector** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protect-vs-protector)
- **potent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/potent-vs-protect)
- **project** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/project-vs-protect)
- **product** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/product-vs-protect)
- **pretext** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pretext-vs-protect)
- **prefect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prefect-vs-protect)
- **projects** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/projects-vs-protect)
- **prospect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prospect-vs-protect)

## Common misspellings (11)
`portect`, `pprotect`, `proetct`, `protcet`, `protecct`, `protectt`, `protetc`, `prottect`, `prrotect`, `prtoect`, `rpotect`

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