1. Preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease
   "preventive medicine"
   - preventative, prophylactic 
2. Tending to prevent or hinder
   - preventative

1. Remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease
   - preventative, prophylactic 
2. Any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome
   - hindrance, hinderance, hitch, preventative, encumbrance, incumbrance, interference 
3. An agent or device intended to prevent conception
   - contraceptive, preventative, contraceptive device, prophylactic device, birth control device

Derived forms: preventives

See also: blockading, clogging, deterrent, frustrating, frustrative, healthful, hindering, impeding, obstructive, obviating, precautional, precautionary, preclusive, preemptive, pre-emptive, prevent, prohibitive, prohibitory, protective, thwarting

Type of: curative, cure, device, impediment, impedimenta, obstructer, obstruction, obstructor, remedy, therapeutic

Antonym: permissive

• mechanism
• mechanist
• mechanistic
• mechanistically
• mechanization
• mechanize
• mechanized
• mechanized cavalry
• Mechlin
• Mechlin lace
• Mecholyl
• Meckel's diverticulum
• meclizine
• meclizine hydrochloride
• meclofenamate
• meclofenamate sodium
• Meclomen
• meconium
• Meconopsis
• Meconopsis betonicifolia
• Meconopsis cambrica
• Mecoptera
• mecopteran
• mecopterous
• MEd