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protectively

protectively

5 3.0
In a way that keeps someone or something safe
  • adverb
  • /prəˈtɛktɪvli/
translation icon : protegidamente
  • I took her arm protectively when we walked back to our seats.

Examples

  • The child crossed the room and the woman scooped her up in her arms protectively.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Hadassah leaned down over her mother protectively, afraid she would lose her too.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The guy wraps his arm protectively around the girl and walks her off.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Lirrel let go of both of them and drew her arms protectively across her chest.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Her husband, Henry, my mother's youngest brother, stayed protectively at her side, though that didn't cut much ice.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Only her posture, the way her body folded protectively over her purse, seemed out of place.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Eneas held her protectively in his arms and whispered soothing words to her.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Anh Hai divides his attention between the traffic and my father, protectively monitoring him through the rearview mirror.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I took her arm protectively when we walked back to our seats.

  • Hadassah leaned down over her mother protectively, afraid she would lose her too.

Antonyms

30 4.6

In a way that shows no care about danger or the results

Showing no interest or care

How Protective

protectively
5 3.0
defensively
38 3.6
nonchalantly
9 7.4

Surface Forms

protectively positive

Morphology

protectively = protective (transparent) = protect + ive + ly

The adverb is a regular -ly derivation from the adjective 'protective', whose meaning is directly built from the verb 'protect'.

Etymology

Protectively comes from the verb protect, which has old parts pro- meaning 'for' and tect meaning 'cover' or 'shield'. So, to act protectively is to be like a shield, covering someone to keep them safe.