Protect

How to spell protect

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce protect

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does protect mean?

1. verbTo keep someone or something safe from harm, damage, or loss.

Protect in a sentence

• A good helmet will protect your head during the ride.

• Insurance can protect your savings against unexpected costs.

Where does protect come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word comes from the Latin verb protegere, which meant literally 'to cover in front', built from pro 'in front of' and tegere 'to cover'. The past participle stem protect- gave English the modern form, with the underlying image being that of holding a shield or roof over something to keep it safe. The same root tegere lies behind 'detect' (literally 'to uncover') and 'tegument', a covering layer of skin. English took the word up in the 1400s, partly through Old French and partly straight from Latin, and the sense quickly broadened from physical shielding to guarding against any kind of harm or loss. The clean Latin spelling is why protect keeps its hard final 't' and shows no silent letters, making it a fairly stable word to write.

How the word is built

• pro- (in front of)
• tect (from tegere: to cover)