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pre·cau·tion

(prĭ-kôshən)

1. An action taken in advance to protect against possible danger, failure, or injury; a safeguard: followed safety precautions when using heavy machinery.

2. Caution practiced in advance; forethought or circumspection: a need for precaution when planning a vacation.

[Late Latin praecautiō, praecautiōn-, from praecautus, past participle of Latin praecavēre, to guard against : prae-, pre- + cavēre, to beware.]

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.

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