Preventative Medicine 101

In recent times, preventative medicine 101 has become increasingly relevant in various contexts. Preventive or Preventative: Is There a Difference? 'Preventive' or 'preventative'? The question of which to use is up to your personal preference.

Both words are accepted and mean the same thing, though 'preventative' is often the subject of grammar complaints. “Preventative”: What’s the Difference?. Similarly, preventive and preventative usually mean the same thing—they’re both commonly used as adjectives to describe things intended to prevent something (negative) from happening. Historically, preventive has been more common.

preventive - GRAMMARIST. Preventive is the original adjective corresponding to prevent, but preventative has gained ground and is now a common variant. The two share all their definitions.

Preventive - Which is Correct?. Preventative or Preventive – Which is Correct? Both preventive and preventative are valid forms, but they are used in slightly different contexts. Preventive is the more commonly accepted term, particularly in formal writing, and is preferred in medical and technical contexts. Preventive and preventative medicine both refer to medical practices that aim to prevent disease and promote health.

There is no difference between the two terms, and they can be used interchangeably. | Britannica Dictionary. There is virtually no difference between preventive and preventative. Similarly, both words are adjectives that mean, "used to stop something bad from happening." Both words are most often used to talk about health care, in phrases such as these: The Grammarphobia Blog: ‘Preventive’ or ‘preventative’?.

They’ve both been around for centuries and used by respected writers, but “preventative” may raise a few eyebrows. As Merriam-Webster’s usage guide puts it, use the longer term “if you decide you like the sound of the extra syllable and are willing to brave possible criticism.”