protect

Meanings

1. To keep someone or something safe from harm or damage.
2. To make something legally or officially safe, as a law does.

Example sentences

• "Wear a hat to protect your head from the sun."

  Level A2, Meaning 1

• "The law protects workers from unfair treatment."

  Level B1, Meaning 2

• "She put a case on her phone to protect it."

  Level A2, Meaning 1

• "We must protect the forest for future generations."

  Level B1, Meaning 1

Synonyms and antonyms

Look-alikes and common mistakes

• defend : Defend means to fight back against an attack. Protect is wider and includes preventing harm before anything attacks.

Word family and forms

Forms: protects, protected, protecting

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "protect".

• protect from
• protect against
• protect the environment
• protect your data
• protect a child
• protect your skin

Origin

Protect comes from Latin protegere, which meant to cover in front. Pro means in front and tegere means to cover, so to protect is to put a cover in front of someone.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Dictionary.com.

Usage notes

"Protect" is usually followed by "from," as in "protect the crops from frost."

How to remember it

Imagine a roof over your head: protect comes from a Latin word that meant to cover.

Test yourself

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