Definition of 'protect'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense protects
, present participle protecting
, past tense, past participle protected
2. verb
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
protect
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
Word Frequency
protect in British English
verb (transitive)
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C16: from Latin prōtegere to cover before, from pro-1 + tegere to cover
Word Frequency
protect in American English
verb transitive
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
protectable (proˈtectable)
adjective
Word origin
< L protectus, pp. of protegere, to protect < pro-, before + tegere, to cover: see thatchWord Frequency
protect in American English
(prəˈtekt)
transitive verb
1.
2. Economics
to guard (the industry or an industry of a nation) from foreign competition by imposing import duties
3.
to provide funds for the payment of (a draft, note, etc.)
intransitive verb
SYNONYMS 1. screen, shelter. See defend.ANTONYMS 1. attack.Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
protectible or protectable adjective
protectibility or protectability
noun
Word origin
[1520–30; ‹ L prōtēctus, ptp. of prōtegere to cover in front, equiv. to prō- pro-1 + teg-, s. of tegere to cover (akin to toga, thatch) + -tus ptp. suffix]Examples of 'protect' in a sentence
protect
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
Trends of
protect
View usage for:
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
protect
British English: protect
/prəˈtɛkt/ VERB
To protect someone or something means to prevent them from being harmed or damaged.
- American English: protect /prəˈtɛkt/
- Arabic: يَحْمِي
- Brazilian Portuguese: proteger
- Chinese: 保护
- Croatian: štititi
- Czech: chránit
- Danish: beskytte
- Dutch: beschermen
- European Spanish: proteger
- Finnish: suojella
- French: protéger
- German: beschützen
- Greek: προστατεύω
- Italian: proteggere
- Japanese: 保護する
- Korean: 보호하다
- Norwegian: beskytte
- Polish: ochronić
- European Portuguese: proteger
- Romanian: a proteja
- Russian: защищать
- Latin American Spanish: proteger
- Swedish: skydda
- Thai: ป้องกัน
- Turkish: korumak
- Ukrainian: захищати
- Vietnamese: bảo vệ
Browse alphabetically
protect
Related terms of
protect
Source
Definition of protect from the Collins English Dictionary
Read about the team of authors behind Collins Dictionaries.
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
TRANSPORT
Drag the correct answer into the box.
catamaran
car
ferry
mountain bike
TRANSPORT
Drag the correct answer into the box.
tandem
tricycle
car
airship
Your score:
Word of the day
salad days
a period of youth and inexperience
Latest Word Submissions
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Your score:
Learrning English: Saying goodbye
Learn informal ways to say goodbye in British English - from 'Goodbye' to 'See ya!' with examples and tips for everyday use.
Read more
Scrabble: Spoilt for Choice
Strategize your Scrabble moves based on anagrams on the board, score, vowel placement, and hooks to get the best score you can.
Read more
‘100 Words for Rain’ by Alex Johnson
Discover the allure of weather lore and literary references in "100 Words for Rain" and delve into rain phenomena and cultural anecdotes.
Read more
Learning English: Making a phone call
Ease your nerves with these helpful phrases for English phone calls. From introductions to inquiries, master effective communication.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more