preventive

UK/pɹɪˈvɛntɪv/US/pɹɪˈvɛntɪv/

adjectiveB2+Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #12,522 of 15,258leans written

Preventive means done in advance to stop a problem arising. Preventive medicine, preventive maintenance, preventive measures.

Preventive maintenance replaces a part before it fails, on the finding that a planned stop costs far less than an unplanned one. Preventive medicine works the same way with disease. Note preventative, which means the same and has an extra syllable; both are correct and the shorter one is preferred in technical writing.

Definitions of preventive

1adjectivepreventiveDone in advance to stop a problem arising.B2+
“Regular check-ups at the dentist are a form of preventive care.”

preventive is a quality of forestalling.

Where it comes from

New Latin praeventivus comes from praevenire, to come before — prae plus venire. Prevent, advent and convene come from the same coming.

New Latin
praeventīvus
English, today
preventive

Borrowed from New Latin praeventīvus. Equivalent to prevent + ive.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Repair & Damage

Practise this word

preventive in the wild

However, these measures are not affordable for every individual and the cost effectiveness of preventive healthcare is still a topic of debate.
Preventive healthcare
Since the end of the Cold War the international community through international institutions has been focusing on preventive diplomacy.
Preventive diplomacy
The first steps to conservation and restoration is preventive conservation followed by active restoration with the artist's intent in mind.
Conservation and restoration of paintings
Information regarding preventive nutrition is often communicated through public health forums, government programs and policies, or nutritional education.
Preventive nutrition
The first preventive measures came into effect on Monday, January 27, 2020.
Dutch government response to the COVID-19 pandemic

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

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