# protection

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹəˈtɛkʃn̩/ · frequency rank #1,494

## Definitions
1. The process of keeping (something or someone) safe.
2. The state of being safe.
3. A means of keeping or remaining safe.
4. A means, such as a condom, of preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease.
5. Coverage.
6. Immunity from harm, obtained by illegal payments, as bribery or extortion.
7. A document serving as a guarantee against harm or interference; a passport.
8. Restrictions on foreign competitors which limit their ability to compete with domestic producers of goods or services.
9. An instance of a security token associated with a resource (such as a file).
10. Synonym of adult protection (“adult incontinence wear”).

## Etymology
From Middle English, from Old French, from stem of Late Latin prōtectiō (“a covering over”), from Latin prōtēctus, perfect passive participle of prōtegere (“to protect, cover in front”). Displaced native Old English ġesċildnes. Equivalent to protect + -ion.

## Easily confused with
- **protector** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protection-vs-protector)
- **protective** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protection-vs-protective)
- **production** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/production-vs-protection)
- **protecting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protecting-vs-protection)
- **projection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/projection-vs-protection)
- **prosecution** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prosecution-vs-protection)

## Common misspellings (16)
`portection`, `pprotection`, `proetction`, `protcetion`, `protecction`, `proteciton`, `protecsion`, `protectino`, `protectionn`, `protectoin`, `protecttion`, `protetcion`, `prottection`, `prrotection`, `prtoection`, `rpotection`

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