Condom

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒn.dɒm/

Definitions

1. A thin sheath worn during sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections
2. A protective covering made typically of latex or polyurethane that is used during sexual activity to reduce the risk of pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections
3. A barrier device designed to be placed over the penis or inside the vagina during sexual intercourse to help prevent both unintended conception and the spread of infections

Etymology: The origin of "condom" is genuinely unknown, and the many explanations offered over the years remain speculative. One of the more plausible suggestions links it to Italian "guantone," an augmentative of "guanto," meaning "glove." If that connection holds, the word would have started out as a name for a covering for the hand, and only later been applied to a covering for another part of the body. The most famous alternative story, that the word is named after a seventeenth-century English physician or a Earl of Condom, is not supported by the evidence and should be set aside. Because the word's early history is so poorly documented, no one can point to a single coiner, a first recorded use, or a precise date of arrival in English.

Synonyms: rubber, prophylactic, contraceptive