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Prevention vs Prophylactic - What's the difference?

prevention | prophylactic |

As nouns the difference between prevention and prophylactic

is that prevention is the act of going, or state of being, before 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.

prevention

English

Noun

  • (obsolete) The act of going, or state of being, before.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • The greater the distance, the greater the prevention .
  • (obsolete) Anticipation; especially, anticipation of needs, wishes, hazards and risks; hence, precaution; forethought.
    • (Hammond)
    (Shakespeare)
  • The act of preventing or hindering; obstruction of action, access, or approach; thwarting.
    • (South)
  • * Shakespeare
    • Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention .

    prophylactic

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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,
    • 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).
  • * 1994, Mary Louise Roberts, Civilization Without Sexes: reconstructing gender in postwar France, 1917-1927 , University of Chicago Press (1994), p. 96,
    • Given the widespread use of coitus interruptus and male prophylactics as contraceptive practices in France […]
  • * 2000, Peter Parnell and John Irving, The Cider House Rules: Here in St. Cloud's , Dramatists Play Service, Inc. (2000), p. 46,
    • Some men put the prophylactic on just the tip of the penis: this is a mistake, because the prophylactic will come off.
  • (figuratively) Any device or mechanism intended to prevent harmful consequences.
  • * The securities laws are a prophylactic against stock fraud.

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Serving to prevent or protect against an undesired effect, especially disease.

    • Related terms

    * prophylaxis

    Derived terms

    * prophylactically