preventative

preventative
    adj 1: tending to prevent or hinder [syn: {preventive},
           {preventative}] [ant: {permissive}]
    2: preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease;
       "preventive medicine"; "vaccines are prophylactic"; "a
       prophylactic drug" [syn: {preventive}, {preventative},
       {prophylactic}]
    n 1: remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or
         disease; "the doctor recommended several preventatives"
         [syn: {preventive}, {preventative}, {prophylactic}]
    2: any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome [syn:
       {hindrance}, {hinderance}, {hitch}, {preventive},
       {preventative}, {encumbrance}, {incumbrance}, {interference}]
    3: an agent or device intended to prevent conception [syn:
       {contraceptive}, {preventive}, {preventative}, {contraceptive
       device}, {prophylactic device}, {birth control device}]
    

Preventative \Pre*vent"a*tive\, n.
   That which prevents; -- incorrectly used instead of
   preventive.
   [1913 Webster]