contraceptive

Etymology

Coined in the 20th century from contra- + conceptive; compare the related contraception.

adj

1. That acts to prevent conception as a result of sexual intercourse.
   She was careful to take her contraceptive pill at the same time every day.
   This has led to the selection of 4-guanidinobenzoates with either acetamenophen or ethylparaben as the phenol moiety for clinical evaluation, because they are orders of magnitude more contraceptive than nonoxynol-9 and less irritating to the vagina. 1994, P. F. A. Van Look, Gregorio Pérez-Palacios, World Health Organization, Contraceptive Research and Development, 1984-1994: The Road from Mexico City to Cairo and Beyond

noun

1. A mechanism or means by which conception as a result of sexual intercourse can be prevented or made less likely.
   Putting a pig's bladder over one's penis before intercourse is not a good contraceptive.
   The document covers the following family planning methods: combined oral contraceptives (COCs), combined injectable contraceptives (CICs), progestogen-only pills (POPs), depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), norethisterone enantate (NET-EN), levonorgestrel implants, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), copper-bearing interuterine devices, levonorgestrel-releasing interuterine devices (LNG IUDs), fertility awareness-based methods, and sterilization. 2004, Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use, 2nd edition, World Health Organization