noun

prophylaxis

/ˌproʊfɪˈlæksɪs/ · say it: PRO·fuh·LAK·sis

treatment intended to prevent disease

In Medicine & Health

In more detail

1. (noun) medical treatment given to prevent a disease from occurring rather than to cure it after it develops

2. (noun) any action taken to prevent something bad from happening

Examples

1. The doctor recommended prophylaxis with antibiotics before the dental procedure.
2. Good hygiene is an effective prophylaxis against many infections.

How to use prophylaxis

Prophylaxis is primarily a formal, medical term for preventive treatment or action taken before disease or harm occurs. In medical contexts, it refers to specific interventions like vaccinations or preventive medication. The term can extend to non-medical contexts to mean any preventive measure, though this usage is less common and more formal than 'prevention' or 'precaution'.

Common phrases

antimalarial prophylaxis
antibiotic prophylaxis
prophylaxis against disease
dental prophylaxis
prophylactic measures
prophylactic treatment

Synonyms

prevention · preventive measure · precaution · preventative treatment · disease prevention

Opposites

treatment · cure · therapy

Word family

prophylactic (adjective/noun) · prophylactically (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use prophylaxis when they mean treatment or cure, forgetting that it specifically refers to prevention before illness occurs, not management after.

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