protectivea.[Cf. F. protectif.] Affording protection; sheltering; defensive.(Feltham.)Protective coloring (Zol.), 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.()