color guard

American  

noun

color guards plural

1. the group of persons, as in the armed forces or at military institutions, who carry or escort the flag or colors during parades, reviews, etc.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• color guards
  plural

Etymology

Origin of color guard

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

color guard

After the color guard and the national anthem, Ruth R. Wisse made her way to the podium to deliver the annual Jefferson Lecture, the nation’s highest honor in the humanities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Barney said a funeral was planned for Aug. 25 in Mount Pleasant, Utah, and that the military would perform a color guard ceremony when her body is flown in next week.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 16, 2023

On Wednesday, T’Yanna Williams, an 18-year-old member of the color guard, felt her body get heavy after a short rehearsal outside in the sun.

From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2023

A Marine Corps color guard stood at attention when the nondenominational ceremony, one of the first of its kind, finally happened.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2022

Lining the rotunda were huge glass cases filled with trophies the school had won over the years: athletics, music competitions, color guard.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia