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pro·tec·tion (prə-tĕkshən)
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n.
1.
a. The act of protecting.
b. The condition of being protected.
2. One that protects: wore gloves as a protection against cold; saw darkness as their protection in trying to escape.
3. A pass guaranteeing safe-conduct to travelers.
4. Something that lowers the risk of pregnancy or infection, especially the use of a condom.
5.
a. Payment collected by racketeers from businesses or illegal enterprises under threat of violence.
b. Payment made by racketeers to officials or law enforcement to avoid arrest or prosecution.

pro·tection·al adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.