Germicide vs Prophylactic - What's the difference?
germicide | prophylactic | Related terms |
A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.
(US) Specifically , a prophylactic condom.
* 1977, Human Life Center, International Review of Natural Family Planning , Human Life Center, St. John's University (1977), p. 2,
* 1994, Mary Louise Roberts, Civilization Without Sexes: reconstructing gender in postwar France, 1917-1927 , University of Chicago Press (1994), p. 96,
* 2000, Peter Parnell and John Irving, The Cider House Rules: Here in St. Cloud's , Dramatists Play Service, Inc. (2000), p. 46,
(figuratively) Any device or mechanism intended to prevent harmful consequences.
* The securities laws are a prophylactic against stock fraud.
Serving to prevent or protect against an undesired effect, especially disease.
As nouns the difference between germicide and prophylactic
is that germicide is an agent that kills pathogenic organisms; a disinfectant while prophylactic is a medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.As an adjective prophylactic is
serving to prevent or protect against an undesired effect, especially disease.prophylactic
English
Noun
(en noun)- It is not clear whether such education is to be directed to homosexuals (for whom prophylactics' are not a contraceptive) or to heterosexuals as well (for whom ' prophylactics are a contraceptive).
- Given the widespread use of coitus interruptus and male prophylactics as contraceptive practices in France […]
- Some men put the prophylactic on just the tip of the penis: this is a mistake, because the prophylactic will come off.