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preventivo

pre-ben-TEE-bo/pɾeβenˈtiβo/

preventive, precautionary

Also: deterrent
A child wearing a yellow raincoat and boots standing in a puddle under an umbrella to stay dry.

📝 In Action

El mantenimiento preventivo del coche es fundamental.

B1

Preventive maintenance of the car is essential.

Tomamos medidas preventivas para no enfermarnos.

A2

We took precautionary measures so we wouldn't get sick.

El juez ordenó el arresto preventivo del sospechoso.

B2

The judge ordered the precautionary arrest of the suspect.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • precautorio (precautionary)
  • previsor (farsighted/prepared)

Antonyms

  • curativo (healing/curative)
  • reactivo (reactive)

Common Collocations

  • mantenimiento preventivo – preventive maintenance
  • medida preventiva – preventive measure
  • prisión preventiva – pre-trial detention

preventive measure, police report

NounmB2formal
Argentina
A thick orange traffic cone placed in front of a small puddle on a sidewalk.

📝 In Action

El preventivo policial detalla lo ocurrido anoche.

C1

The police report details what happened last night.

Se aplicó un preventivo para evitar el colapso del sistema.

B2

A preventive measure was applied to avoid the system collapse.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • informe (report)
  • recaudo (precaution)

Common Collocations

  • redactar un preventivo – to write a report/precautionary filing

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: preventivo

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is a 'mantenimiento preventivo'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
prevenir(to prevent) — Verb
prevención(prevention) — Noun
prevenido(prepared/warned) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'praeventus', which is the past form of 'praevenire' (to come before). It combines 'prae' (before) and 'venire' (to come).

First recorded: 17th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: preventiveFrench: préventifItalian: preventivo

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'preventivo' a verb?

No, it's an adjective or a noun. If you want to say 'to prevent,' use the verb 'prevenir'.

What is 'prisión preventiva'?

It is a legal term for when a suspect is held in jail before their trial starts to prevent them from fleeing or destroying evidence.

Does it always mean the same as 'preventive' in English?

Almost always! It is a very close cognate, making it easy for English speakers to use correctly in health and safety contexts.