noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/pɹiːˈkɔːʃən/
Received-Pronunciation:/pɹiːˈkɔː.ʃən/
General-American:/pɹiːˈkɔ.ʃən/
cot-caught-merger:/pɹiːˈkɑ.ʃən/
cot-caught-merger:[pɹiːˈkɑ.ʃn̩]
cot-caught-merger:/pɹɪˈkɑ.ʃən/
cot-caught-merger:[pɹɪˈkɑ.ʃn̩]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P R IY0 K AO1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent misfortune or to secure good.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
his life was saved by precaution
July 2, 1826, John Henry Newman, The Philosophical Temper, First Enjoined by the Gospel The ancient philosophers treasured up their supposed discoveries with miserable precaution.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
to take precautions against risks of accident
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To warn or caution beforehand.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To take precaution against.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: circumspection, caution
7
noun
Meaning 7
judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he exercised caution in opening the door
he handled the vase with care
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: caution, care, forethought
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: judiciousness
History
Etymology
From French précaution, Latin praecautio, from praecavere, praecautum (“to guard against beforehand”); prae (“before”) + cavere (“be on one's guard”). See pre-, and caution.
Across languages
Translations
48 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
ehtiyat
— Previous caution or care
Bulgarian:
предпазливост
(predpazlivost)
— Previous caution or care
Bulgarian:
внимание
(vnimanie)
— Previous caution or care
Chinese Mandarin:
防範 /防范
(fángfàn)
— Previous caution or care
Chinese Mandarin:
預防 /预防
(yùfáng)
— Previous caution or care
Chinese Mandarin:
用心
(yòngxīn)
— Previous caution or care
French:
précaution
— Previous caution or care
German:
Vorsorge
— Previous caution or care
Gothic:
𐌼𐌿𐌽𐍃
(muns)
— Previous caution or care
Indonesian:
langkah pencegahan
— Previous caution or care
Japanese:
予防
(yobō)
— Previous caution or care
Japanese:
用心
(yōjin)
— Previous caution or care
Latin:
provisio
— Previous caution or care
Latin:
provisio
— Previous caution or care
Norwegian:
sikkerhetsforanstaltning
— Previous caution or care
Persian:
احتیاط
(ehtiyât)
— Previous caution or care
Plautdietsch:
Väasecht
— Previous caution or care
Russian:
предосторо́жность
(predostoróžnostʹ)
— Previous caution or care
Russian:
предусмотри́тельность
(predusmotrítelʹnostʹ)
— Previous caution or care
Spanish:
precaución
— Previous caution or care
Swedish:
försiktighetsåtgärd
— Previous caution or care
Swedish:
säkerhetsåtgärd
— Previous caution or care
Turkish:
önlem
— Previous caution or care
Azerbaijani:
ehtiyat
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Azerbaijani:
ehtiyat tədbiri
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Bulgarian:
предпазна мярка
(predpazna mjarka)
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Dutch:
voorzorg
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Dutch:
voorzorgsmaatregel
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Esperanto:
antaŭrimedo
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Finnish:
varotoimi
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Finnish:
varokeino
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Finnish:
varotoimenpide
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Georgian:
სიფრთხილის ზომები
(siprtxilis zomebi)
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
German:
Vorsichtsmaßnahme
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Latin:
provisio
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Māori:
whakatūpato
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Norwegian Bokmål:
forholdsregel
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Norwegian Bokmål:
sikkerhetsforanstaltning
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Norwegian Nynorsk:
forholdsregel
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Persian:
اقدام احتیاطی
(eqdâm-e ehtiyâti)
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Plautdietsch:
Väasecht
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Russian:
предосторо́жность
(predostoróžnostʹ)
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Spanish:
precaución
— A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success
Bulgarian:
предпазвам
(predpazvam)
— To warn or caution beforehand
Māori:
whakatūpato
— To warn or caution beforehand
Bulgarian:
взимам мерки
(vzimam merki)
— To take precaution against
Finnish:
ryhtyä varotoimenpiteisiin
— To take precaution against
Spanish:
precaucionarse
— To take precaution against
