protect

Pronunciation

• IPA: /prəˈtekt/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English protecten,^[2][3] from an earlier adjective protecte “defended” (probably before 1425),^[3][4] borrowed from Latin prōtēctus, the past participle of prōtegō (“I cover in front, protect, defend”),^[2][3][5] from prō “before, in front” and tegō (“I cover”),^[2][3] which is related to English thatch.^[3][5] Etymonline takes the parts to Proto-Indo-European *per- (“forward”) and Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- (“to cover”).^[2] In some uses protect is probably a back-formation from the earlier protection (about 1350).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

“To defend or guard from harm or danger”: about 1456,^[3] the early 15th century in Etymonline,^[2] and 1526 in the OED.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The word has been applied in a wide range of literal and figurative uses.^[2] Johnson (1755) defined it as “to defend; to cover from evil; to shield”.^[6] To act as official protector or guardian of someone is from 1593.^[4] In political economy, “to guard a domestic industry against foreign competition by tariffs”, it is from 1789,^[2][4] and protectionist is from 1844.^[3] To provide funds to meet a bill of exchange is from 1884,^[4] and to preserve a threatened plant or animal species by law from 1893.^[4] In computing, to protect data or a disk is to restrict access to it.^[7]

Timeline

• before 1425 – adjective, protected.^[3]
• c. 1456 – to defend from harm.^[3]
• 1593 – to act as guardian.^[4]
• 1789 – to shield an industry by tariffs.^[2][4]
• 1844 – protectionist.^[3]
• 1893 – to preserve a species.^[4]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To keep safe from harm, damage or attack; to guard or defend.
2. To help (a domestic industry) by tariffs or quotas on imports.
3. To set aside funds to ensure payment of (a bill or note).
4. To preserve (a species or area) by law.

Word family

• protectingly
• protectable
• protective
• protectively
• protectiveness
• protectible
• protectibility
• protection

Related words

• protector
• protectorate
• protégé
• thatch
• detect
• tegument

Usage notes

In Gloucestershire dialect protect was used in error for “detect”.^[8]

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
7. ^ Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)