guardian

American  

[gahr-dee-uhn] / ˈgɑr di ən /

noun

• guardians
  plural

1. a person who guards, protects, or preserves.

   Synonyms:

   defender, protector

2. Law. a person who is entrusted by law with the care of the person, property, or both, of someone else, such as a minor or someone legally incapable of managing their affairs.

3. the superior of a Franciscan convent.

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adjective

1. guarding; protecting.

   a guardian deity.

guardian British  

/ ˈɡɑːdɪən /

noun

1. one who looks after, protects, or defends

   the guardian of public morals

2. 1. law someone legally appointed to manage the affairs of a person incapable of acting for himself, as a minor or person of unsound mind

   2. social welfare (in England) a local authority, or person accepted by it, named under the Mental Health Act 1983 as having the powers to require a mentally disordered person to live at a specified place, attend for treatment, and be accessible to a doctor or social worker

3. (often capital) (in England) another word for custos

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adjective

1. protecting or safeguarding

Pronunciation

Guardian is occasionally pronounced with two syllables and with stress on the final syllable: . This pronunciation is now most characteristic of older, less educated speakers.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• guardianship
  noun
• underguardian
  noun
• guardianless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• guardians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of guardian

First recorded in 1375–1425; from late Middle English gardein, from Anglo-French. See warden

Explanation

A guardian is a keeper or protector who looks after the welfare of other people or their property. In legal language, guardian is typically used as an alternative to "parent." Guardians are often adults who can make legal decisions for children who are not their own. Sometimes they take care of them, too, just like a parent would. A guardian angel is a figure that some people believe (either seriously or jokingly) watches over them and protects them. The term is also used to describe people who believe they are "guarding" something important, like morality, culture, or fashion.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

guardian guardians

Isikli admits to a certain respect for the old guardian.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Unless you are named as his legal guardian or medical proxy, relatives — even siblings — carry no legal obligation to provide physical or financial support for an ailing relative.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

David Hale, 32, became a guardian almost 10 years ago to save money and has never lived in standard rental accommodation.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Lindsey Graham later adopted his sister and became her legal guardian.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Mathis, the Big Hill Trading Company owner and the guardian of Anna Brown and her mother, was a member of the inquest into Brown’s murder that failed to turn up the bullet.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

They are also essential guardians of the environment.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

"Some guardians requested the government to ensure that eggs were included in the meals," he added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined," Uefa said in a statement.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

To sign up, parents or guardians need to go to the IRS website and fill out Form 4547.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026

Then after a pause: “It’s just what people say when they’re feeling sorry for themselves. It’s just talk. The guardians never told us anything like that.”

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro