precautionary

English

Etymology

From precaution +‎ -ary.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

precautionary (comparative more precautionary, superlative most precautionary)

  1. Of, pertaining to, or serving as a precaution.
    The port cities were quarantined as a precautionary measure, though no cases of the disease had been found.
    • 1941, Huang Yen-yü, “Viceroy Yeh Ming-ch‘ên and the Canton Episode (1856-1861)”, in Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies‎[1], volume 6, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard-Yenching Institute, →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 46–47:
      Fearing attack on the northern ports by the English, he even took precautionary measures by strengthening the defense of Shan-hai-kuan 山海關 and Ch‘in-huang-tao 秦皇島.
    • 2025 June 15, Nicole Acevedo, “How a city in Nebraska is recovering after the state's largest worksite immigration raid”, in NBC News‎[2]:
      Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, issued a statement in support of the raids and signed a proclamation Friday to activate the National Guard as a precautionary measure “in anticipation of anti-ICE protests” this weekend.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

precautionary (plural precautionaries)

  1. (obsolete) A precaution.
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