Pro‐tect″ive (?), a. [Cf. F. protectif.] Affording protection; sheltering; defensive. “ The favor of a protective Providence.” Feltham.
Protective coloring(Zoöl.), coloring which serves for the concealment and preservation of a living organism. Cf. Mimicry. Wallace. — Protective tariff(Polit. Econ.), a tariff designed to secure protection (see Protection, 4.), as distinguished from a tariff designed to raise revenue. See Tariff, and Protection, 4.