American English
/pʰɹəˈtʰɛk.tɪv/
3 syllables · Stress the second syllable.
Designed to keep a person or thing safe from harm or damage.
Practice out loudDesigned to keep a person or thing safe from harm or damage.
Wear protective clothing when you use these chemicals.
The phone has a protective case.
protective clothing · protective equipment · protective case · protective measures
protective + noun
protective measures for + noun
Showing that you want to keep someone safe, especially someone you care about.
She's very protective of her younger brother.
He became protective when he saw the crowd around her.
Protective can be positive; overprotective means protecting someone too much.
protective of someone · protective instinct · protective behavior · protective parent
be protective of + person or thing
protective toward + person