- [only before noun] providing or intended to provide protection
- Workers should wear full protective clothing.
- a protective layer of varnish
- The ozone layer forms a protective barrier against the sun's rays.
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- having or showing a wish to protect somebody/something
- He put a protective arm around her shoulders.
- protective towards somebody/something She had been fiercely protective towards him as a teenager.
- protective of somebody/something He was extremely protective of his role as advisor.
- Parents can easily become over-protective of their children (= want to protect them too much).
Extra ExamplesTopics Feelingsc1- Lionesses are fiercely protective of their young.
- She felt suddenly very protective towards her mother.
- an overly protective father
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- become
- …
- fiercely
- highly
- very
- …
- of
- towards/toward
- intended to give an advantage to your own country’s industry
- protective tariffs
Check pronunciation:
protective