prophylaxis

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/pɹɔfɪˈlæksɪs/

noun

The prevention of, or the protective treatment for, disease.

“The central bankers viewed these moves as prophylaxis against inflation.”

Similar
prophydental
OriginAncient Greek πρό →
Less commonScrabble 28
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Meanings

nounprophylaxis (countable and uncountable, plural prophylaxes)

plural prophylaxes

  1. countableuncountablemedicineThe prevention of, or the protective treatment for, disease.

    The role of statins in prophylaxis for cardiovascular disease is well supported by the medical literature.

    1. countablesometimesspecificallyuncountablemedicineThe cleaning of a patient's teeth.

      We did his semiannual prophylaxis today, and his teeth and gums were found to be healthy.

      Synonyms: prophy, dental

    2. countablesometimesspecificallyuncountablemedicineProtective measures against acquiring a sexually transmitted disease.
  2. broadlycountableuncountableAction that works to prevent some bad outcome.

    The central bankers viewed these moves as prophylaxis against inflation.

    1. broadlycountableuncountableboard gamesA move or strategy that frustrates an opponent's plan or tactic.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe cleaning of a patient's teeth.

Similar
prophydental
Also see
preventive healthcare

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπρό“before”
  2. Englishprophylaxis

From Latin, from Ancient Greek πρό (pró, “before”) + φύλαξις (phúlaxis, “a watching, guarding”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic وِقَايَة
  • وِقَايَة (wiqāya)prevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Bulgarian профилактика
  • профилактика (profilaktika)prevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Catalan profilaxi
  • profilaxiprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Chinese Mandarin 預防 /预防
  • 預防 /预防 (yùfáng)prevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Danish profylakse
  • profylakseprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Dutch profylaxe, profylaxis
  • profylaxeprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
  • profylaxisprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Estonian profülaktika
  • profülaktikaprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Finnish ehkäisy, ehkäisyhoito
  • ehkäisyprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
  • ehkäisyhoitoprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
French prophylaxie
  • prophylaxieprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
German Prophylaxe, Vorbeugung
  • Prophylaxeprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
  • Vorbeugungprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Hungarian megelőzés, kórmegelőzés
  • megelőzésprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
  • kórmegelőzésprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
  • profilaxisprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
  • megelőző kezelésprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Irish urchoscacht
  • urchoscachtprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Italian profilassi
  • profilassiprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Japanese 予防
  • 予防 (yobō)prevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Norwegian Bokmål profylakse
  • profylakseprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Polish profilaktyka
  • profilaktykaprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Portuguese profilaxia
  • profilaxiaprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Russian профила́ктика
  • профила́ктика (profiláktika)prevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Spanish profilaxis
  • profilaxisprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Swedish profylax
  • profylaxprevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Ukrainian профіла́ктика
  • профіла́ктика (profiláktyka)prevention of, or protective treatment for disease
Welsh proffylacsis
  • proffylacsisprevention of, or protective treatment for disease

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with prophylaxis

axispraxis
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

prophylaxis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prophylaxis

MLA

“prophylaxis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prophylaxis. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prophylaxis,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prophylaxis.

Source: prophylaxis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.