protector
noun
a person or thing that protects; defender; guardian.
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:
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
“It was led by somebody that I had grown to trust and see as a protector and somebody who had my back,” she told podcast host Jay Shetty of the incident.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
"Our findings significantly shift tubulin's role in neurodegeneration, from a passive casualty of disease to an active protector against toxic protein aggregation," Ferreon said.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026
With that process continuing, hill protector Catherine Fritz, 69, strolled past the homes last month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
Now he was the protector of the books and the knowledge, He was the scholar/librarian.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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
The teenager certainly seemed to enjoy her moment in the spotlight, unlike her younger sister, Rumi, who came on stage during Protector, shyly mouthing the words whilst being held by Beyoncé.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 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
At Protector Cellars, winemaker Alexander Katz packages his wines in aluminum cans — a trend that’s been growing in recent years.
From Salon ● Nov. 28, 2023
You are the Hand of the King and Protector of the Realm.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
He also urged his viewers to "speak up" as "now was the time to fight for the sake of the protectors of cows".
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Plus, gloves, helmets, elbow guards, leg protectors, arm sleeves, sliding mitts, cleats, turf shoes, the coolest sunglasses, Bruce Bolt batting gloves, fluorescent batting grips, socks, pants, belts and garments known simply as “ice-cream shorts.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 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
“Great giants… thirty feet high” and big-headed protectors, the kilikis and zaldikos.
From Salon ● Nov. 8, 2025
I looked on as church members put their strength together to become volunteer firemen, policemen, loan officers, and protectors.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
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.
