malaria-preventive
|ma-la-ri-a-pre-vent-ive|
🇺🇸
/məˈlɛəriə prɪˈvɛntɪv/
🇬🇧
/məˈleərɪə prɪˈvɛntɪv/
prevents malaria
Etymology
'malaria-preventive' is a compound of 'malaria' and 'preventive'. 'malaria' originates from Italian, specifically the phrase 'mal' aria' meaning 'bad air', and 'preventive' originates from Latin 'praevenire', where 'prae-' meant 'before' and 'venire' meant 'to come'.
'malaria' entered English from Italian 'mal' aria' (literally 'bad air') via Medieval Latin 'malaria'. 'preventive' developed from Latin 'praevenire' to Old French 'prevenir' and Middle English 'prevent'. The modern compound 'malaria-preventive' formed in English to denote something that prevents malaria.
Initially, 'malaria' meant 'bad air' thought to cause illness; over time it came to denote the disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. 'preventive' originally meant 'coming before' and evolved to mean 'intended to prevent'. Combined, the compound now means 'intended to prevent malaria'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance or measure used to prevent malaria (for example, a drug, vaccine, or bed net).
The clinic dispensed a new malaria-preventive to travelers.
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Adjective 1
serving or designed to prevent malaria; protective against malaria infection.
They recommended malaria-preventive measures before the trip to the tropics.
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Last updated: 2025/11/03 19:59