protect

A2 Topic:Safety & Risk

US /pɹəˈtɛkt/ See IPA manual

Freq #813

Meanings

1

verb
To keep someone or something safe from harm or danger.

A good coat will protect you from the rain.
2

verb
To use tariffs or rules to help a country's own industries against foreign competition.

The government raised taxes on imports to protect local farmers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to keep someone or... defend guard shield

More beshield

Word family

Forms protectedprotectingprotectinglyprotects

Derived forms calprotectincardioprotectchemoprotectchondroprotectcryoprotectdeprotectimmunoprotectneuroprotectneuroprotectinoverprotectphotoprotectprotecc

Etymology

Attested in English since 1530, from Latin prōtēctus (“covered, protected”), past participle of prōtegere (“to cover the front, protect”) from prō, prō- (“before, in front of”) + tegere (“to cover”), see tegument. Displaced native Middle English shelden, from Old English sċildan (“to protect,” literally “to shield”).

*per- Proto-Indo-European prōtēctus Latin

View etymology graph ->

External links

# protect

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /pɹəˈtɛkt/
**Frequency rank:** 813

## Meanings
1. To keep someone or something safe from harm or danger.
2. To use tariffs or rules to help a country's own industries against foreign competition.

## Examples
- A good coat will protect you from the rain.
- The government raised taxes on imports to protect local farmers.

## Synonyms
- beshield
- shield

## Derived Forms
- calprotectin
- cardioprotect
- chemoprotect
- chondroprotect
- cryoprotect
- deprotect
- immunoprotect
- neuroprotect
- neuroprotectin
- overprotect
- photoprotect
- protecc

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *per-
- Root: prōtēctus

## Etymology
Attested in English since 1530, from Latin prōtēctus (“covered, protected”), past participle of prōtegere (“to cover the front, protect”) from prō, prō- (“before, in front of”) + tegere (“to cover”), see tegument. Displaced native Middle English shelden, from Old English sċildan (“to protect,” literally “to shield”).

## AI Etymology
Protect is attested in English since 1530, from Latin prōtēctus (“covered, protected”), past participle of prōtegere (“to cover the front, protect”) from prō, prō- (“before, in front of”) + tegere (“to cover”), see tegument. Displaced native Middle English shelden, from Old English sċildan (“to protect,” literally “to shield”). In present-day English it covers to keep someone or something safe from harm or danger and to use tariffs or rules to help a country's own industries against foreign competition. The wider family includes derived forms such as calprotectin, cardioprotect, chemoprotect, chondroprotect, cryoprotect.

## Topics
- Safety & Risk

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protect

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