Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "maganin tsaro" yana nufin amsawa ta atomatik ko na zahiri ko matakin da wata halitta ko tsari ta ɗauka don kare kanta daga hasashe barazana ko haɗari. Ana yawan amfani da wannan kalmar a cikin ilimin halin ɗan adam da ilimin halittar jiki don bayyana nau'ikan martani masu ratsa jiki, kamar yaƙi ko martanin jirgin sama, waɗanda ke haifar da hasashe na haɗari ko barazana ga lafiyar jikin mutum ko ta hankali.