preventive
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preventive
Preventive; serving to prevent an unwanted event, especially an illness or a problem.
Regelmäßige Zahnarztbesuche sind eine wichtige präventive Maßnahme gegen Karies.
Regular dentist visits are an important preventive measure against tooth decay.
The adjective 'präventiv' (preventive) belongs to the word family of 'die Prävention' (prevention). Both words come from the Latin verb 'praevenire', which means 'to anticipate' or 'to forestall'.
Gute Prävention ist besser als jede Behandlung.
Good prevention is better than any treatment.
'Präventiv' (preventive) is often used in fixed combinations, especially in medical or security-related contexts. Common phrases are 'präventive Maßnahmen' (preventive measures), 'präventiv handeln' (to act preventively), or 'präventiv wirken' (to have a preventive effect).
Die Polizei zeigte präventiv Präsenz an den Bahnhöfen.
The police maintained a preventive presence at the train stations.
The word 'präventiv' (preventive) belongs more to formal written language or technical language, especially in medicine, law, and police contexts.
Der Arzt empfahl eine präventive Untersuchung.
The doctor recommended a preventive examination.
precautionary
Both words refer to taking precautions against a possible future problem. „Vorsorglich“ sounds like a cautious response to a merely possible risk, while „präventiv“ emphasizes deliberate, often systematically planned prevention. Use „vorsorglich“ for an individual precautionary step and „präventiv“ for a planned preventive measure.
Die Schule führte präventive Hygienemaßnahmen gegen weitere Krankheitsfälle ein.
The school introduced preventive hygiene measures to prevent further cases of illness.
Nach dem Verdachtsfall schloss die Schule vorsorglich einen Raum.
After the suspected case, the school closed one room as a precaution.
