Meanings
adverbprotectively (comparative more protectively, superlative most protectively)
comparative more protectively · superlative most protectively
- In a protective manner.
Her smile froze. Her hands raised protectively, she crouched back. From her throat came a sound of pure terror.
1983, Terry Pratchett, The Colour of Magic, published 2022, page 122
Origin
- Medieval Latinprōtēctīvus
- Englishprotective
- Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
- Proto-Germanic*līką
- Englishprotectively
From protective + -ly.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Esperanto protekte
- protektein a protective manner
Finnish suojaavasti, suojelevasti
- suojaavastiin a protective manner
- suojelevastiin a protective manner
Cite this entry
APA
protectively. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/protectively
MLA
“protectively.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/protectively. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “protectively,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/protectively.
Source: protectively on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.