English Reference
Word noun

condom

n.
US /ˈkɑndəm/ UK /kˈɒndəm/ con·dom UK spelling condoms
Definition
  1. 01 B1 Intermediate Medicine

    a thin cover, usually made of rubber, worn during sex to stop a person from getting pregnant or catching a disease.

    a flexible sheath, typically made of latex or polyurethane, used as a barrier method of contraception and to reduce the risk of infection during sexual intercourse.

    Simple

    “Health clinics often provide free condoms to help people practice safe sex.”

    In context

    “Public health campaigns emphasize that consistent use of a condom is the most effective way to prevent the transmission of various viral infections during sexual activity.”

    Usage

    Countable noun.

    Synonyms
    prophylacticprotectionsheath
Etymology

Unknown. Many speculations exist. Possibly derived from Italian guantone, from guanto (“a glove”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated