French word

préventif

Pronunciation

IPA/pʁevɑ̃tif/

Meaning

  • adjectivepreventive

Example

Le médecin recommande des mesures préventives.

The doctor recommends preventive measures.

Illustration for préventif (preventive)

More examples

Adopter une attitude préventive réduit les risques.

Adopting a preventive attitude reduces risks.

Core concept

An early safety step blocks a problem before it becomes real.

Common phrases

  • mesures préventives

    preventive measures

  • approche préventive

    preventive approach

  • attitude préventive

    preventive attitude

Similar words

prudent: Careful and sensible in order to avoid danger.
précautionneux: Careful to take precautions and prepare ahead to prevent accidents or problems.

Definition in French

Qui empêche la survenue d'un danger, d'une maladie ou d'un problème en agissant à l'avance.

Word origin

French préventif derives from prévenir, whose Latin source praevenire combines the ideas of before and coming.

Usage tips

  • Préventif is common in medical and administrative language and can sound more formal than pour éviter in everyday speech.

Opposites

Related words

  • préventionpreventionnoun
  • préventivementpreventivelyadverb

Word lists with this word