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Origin and history of protect

protect(v.)

"cover or shield from danger, harm, damage, exposure, trespass, temptation, insult, etc.," early 15c., protecten, from Latin protectus, past participle of protegere "to protect, defend, cover over, cover in front" (source also of French protéger, Old French protecter, Spanish proteger). This is from pro "before" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before") + tegere "to cover" (from PIE root *(s)teg- "to cover").

Applied with a wide range, both literal and figurative. The sense in political economy, "guard or strengthen against foreign competition by means of tariffs, etc.," is by 1789. Related: Protected; protecting.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to protect

protectant(adj.)

1660s, "protective, protecting (something) against disease," irregularly formed from protect + -ant. As a noun, "a protective substance or agent," from 1935.

protective(adj.)

"affording protection, sheltering, defensive," 1660s, from protect + -ive. As a noun from 1875. Related: Protectively; protectiveness. Protective custody is from 1936, translating German Schutzhaft, used cynically by the Nazis. The notion is "adopted or intended to afford protection."

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scabbard
skar "blade" (source also of Old High German scar "scissors, blade, sword," from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut") + *berg- "protect..." (source also of Old High German bergan "to protect;" from PIE root *bhergh- (1) "to hide, protect")....
hauberk
The second element is *bergan "to cover, protect" (from PIE root *bhergh- (1) "to hide, protect")....
conservator
c. 1400, "an official entrusted with the power and the duty to protect the interests or rights of someone else or some thing...form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + servare "keep watch, maintain" (from PIE root *ser- (1) "to protect...
reservoir
from Latin reservare "keep back, save up; retain, preserve," from re- "back" (see re-) + servare "to keep, save, preserve, protect..." (from PIE root *ser- (1) "to protect")....
shadow
Middle English schadowen, schadwen, Kentish ssedwi, "provide, cover, or overspread with shade, protect from the sun or other...light" (mid-14c.), from late Old English sceadwian "to protect as with covering wings" (also see overshadow), from the root...
garrison
food; salvation; healing, recovery, cure" (Modern French guérison "cure, recovery, healing") from garir "take care of, protect..., defend," from a Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *war- "to protect, guard," from PIE root *wer- (4) "to cover."...
reservation
of Latin reservare "keep back, save up; retain, preserve," from re- "back" (see re-) + servare "to keep, save, preserve, protect..." (from PIE root *ser- (1) "to protect")....
fence
early 14c., "action of defending, resistance; means of protection, fortification," shortening of defens (see defense). The same pattern also yielded fend, fender; and obsolete fensive "defensive" (late 16c.). Spelling alternated between -c- and -s- in Middle English. Sense of "en
palisade
c. 1600, "a fence of strong stakes," from French palissade (15c.), from Provençal palissada, from palissa "a stake or paling," from Gallo-Roman *palicea, from Latin palus "stake" (from PIE *pakslo-, suffixed form of root *pag- "to fasten"). Earlier in Italian form palisado (1580s
preserve
late 14c., preserven, "keep safe or free from harm," also "act so as to insure that something does not occur," from Anglo-French preservare, Old French preserver, Medieval Latin preservare "keep, preserve," all from Late Latin praeservare "guard beforehand," from Latin prae "befo

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