a person or thing that protects; defender; guardian.
English History.
a person in charge of the kingdom during the sovereign's minority, incapacity, or absence.
Also called Lord Protector. (initial capital letter) the title of the head of the government during the period of the Protectorate, held by Oliver Cromwell (1653–58) and by Richard Cromwell, his son (1658–59).
a person or thing that protects
history a person who exercised royal authority during the minority, absence, or incapacity of the monarch
1325–75; < Late Latin ( see protect, -tor); replacing Middle English protectour < Middle French
A protector is someone who takes care of you. In most families, part of the parents' job is to be their children's protectors. A museum guard is a protector of valuable artworks, and a Great Pyrenees dog might work as the protector of a flock of sheep, barking at predators. You can tell from the word protector that it's all about protecting, or keeping safe from harm. In Latin, protect means "covered in front," from the verb protegere and its roots pro-, "in front" and tegere, "to cover."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In September, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force will conduct an exercise known as Lion Protector involving air, land and naval forces from several European nations.
From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026
Protector launched in New York and Los Angeles last week, where users can now request ride shares with gunslinging drivers and bodyguards, all of them either active or retired military or law enforcement personnel.
From Salon • Feb. 24, 2025
The Water Protector Legal Collective, a group that assisted protesters in criminal cases, did not respond to a message for comment on the lawsuit.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 14, 2024
The museum tells Oliver Cromwell's story from his Huntingdon childhood until his death as Lord Protector in 1658.
From BBC • Nov. 27, 2023
From 1649 to 1660, England had no King and was governed by Parliament until 1653 and by Cromwell as Lord Protector from then until his death in 1658.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
