precaution

noun

A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act.

Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent misfortune or to secure good.

verb

(transitive) To warn or caution beforehand.

(transitive, rare) To take precaution against.

Roots

praepre- · Latin · before, in front caveo-caut · Latin · beware, guard

Synonyms for precaution

cautionn safeguardv forethoughtn circumspectionn charinessn cautiousnessn warinessn prudencen watchfulnessn vigilancen caren

Synonyms & related words for precaution

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of precaution — including caution, safeguard, forethought, circumspection, chariness, cautiousness. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to precaution

Explore words related to precaution — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include precautious, precautionary, cautionary, guard, prudent, cautious, carefulness, preventive. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for precaution

Common synonyms for precaution include caution, safeguard, forethought, circumspection, chariness, cautiousness, wariness, prudence — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does precaution come from?

The word precaution breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: pre-, from Latin prae (“before, in front”); and -caut, from Latin caveo (“beware, guard”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.