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chemoprophylactic

chemoprophylactic

8.8
A drug taken to prevent infection before exposure
  • noun
  • /ˌkiːmoʊprəˈfɪlaktɪk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : quimioprofiláctico
  • The doctor prescribed a chemoprophylactic to prevent malaria.

Examples

  • Taking a chemoprophylactic can help prevent certain infections during outbreaks.

  • Some travelers forget to bring their chemoprophylactic medications and risk getting sick.

  • The doctor recommended a chemoprophylactic before traveling to the malaria-endemic area.

  • Many travelers take chemoprophylactics before visiting high-risk areas.

  • The doctor recommended a chemoprophylactic before traveling to the malaria-endemic area.

  • Taking a chemoprophylactic can help prevent certain infections during outbreaks.

  • Many travelers take chemoprophylactics before visiting high-risk areas.

Synonyms

prophylactic
vschemoprophylactic
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A medicine or treatment that prevents an illness before it starts

is limited to drugs or chemical agents rather than broader treatments

Surface Forms

Morphology

chemoprophylactic = prophylactic (transparent) = chemo + prophylactic

Noun formed by prefixing 'chemo-' to the noun 'prophylactic', producing a chemical preventive agent; the composition is directly interpretable.

Etymology

A chemoprophylactic is a 'chemical guard' that stops illness before it starts, because the word joins chemo- 'chemical', as in chemistry, with pro- 'before' and phylax 'guard', so it means a drug that protects you before an infection.