protector
noun
a person or thing that protects; defender; guardian.
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protector
American
[pruh-tek-ter]
/ prəˈtɛk tər /
noun
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protectors
plural
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a person or thing that protects; defender; guardian.
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English History.
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a person in charge of the kingdom during the sovereign's minority, incapacity, or absence.
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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).
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protector
1
British
/ prəˈtɛktə /
noun
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a person or thing that protects
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history a person who exercised royal authority during the minority, absence, or incapacity of the monarch
Protector
2
British
/ prəˈtɛktə /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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protectorshipnoun
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protectressnoun
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subprotectornoun
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subprotectorshipnoun
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protectoraladjective
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protectorlessadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of protector
1325–75; < Late Latin ( see protect, -tor); replacing Middle English protectour < Middle French
Explanation
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."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Many Serb nationalists see him as a hero and protector, particularly in the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska, where his death sparked vigils.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
He joined other hilltop boys, finding purpose over the years living at outposts and acting as a self-appointed protector of the land.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Everyone was extremely friendly and on the fashion front, no popped collars in sight — only gym clothes and cool-looking fencing gear: mask, chest protector and underarm protector.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
The Catholic church is deeply entrenched in Poland's national identity and the Virgin Mary is considered the country's patron and protector, even as it undergoes one of the fastest rates of secularisation worldwide.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
As usual, their longtime friend and protector Calvin Brown chaperoned.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
In both alleged letters, Harp reflects on her father’s suicide and thanks Trump for “always being there for me” as her “Guardian and Protector in this Life.”
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
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 first announced itself back in December, firing off a press release two days after Thompson's killing that announced the app would be fast-tracking its New York City launch.
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
"Was it the regency? Has my brother named you Protector?"
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Even their small museums are rich with treasures, but typically their guards are unarmed, acting more as visitors’ guides than protectors of the art.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Nagi says many of the children come from dysfunctional families and her teachers often have to double-up as their counsellors and protectors.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
In the 1970s, the IBM uniform included short-sleeved white shirts with pocket protectors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
"Microglia are not simply destructive responders in Alzheimer's disease -- they can become the brain's protectors," explained Anne Schaefer, the senior author of the research and leader of the project.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 22, 2025
Several of the best players on that team were his grammar school classmates and fellow altar boys, and they served as his protectors.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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.
