protective
adj.adj. used to describe something that keeps you safe from harm or someone who wants to keep others safe. You might wear special clothes for safety or feel this way about a friend.
adj. intended to provide a shield against injury, damage, or loss; also describes a tendency to guard someone or something from harm.
You should wear protective gloves when using these chemicals.
The mother bird becomes very protective of her nest when hikers walk too close.
The government implemented protective tariffs to shield the nascent domestic industry from the aggressive pricing strategies of established international competitors.
Borrowed from Medieval Latin prōtēctīvus. By surface analysis, protect + ive.
Often followed by the preposition 'of' when describing a person's behavior toward others.
he is very protective for his sisterhe is very protective of his sisterWhen describing a person's guarding behavior, the adjective takes the preposition 'of' rather than 'for'.