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
-
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:
To prepare her Connecticut home, Jaffe installed a whole-home generator, an automated sump pump and a whole-house surge protector.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
His central message is that he represents the best protector of Israel in a dangerous Middle East.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
Rivers is a dependable pass protector and rusher and is a key special teams player.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
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
How could this man ever have been my protector?
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
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
If you’re among Salon’s more fiscally privileged readers, congratulations, enjoy what I hope is a truly luxurious bathtub situation, and please — for me! — don’t book a Protector.
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
“Goddess of the hunt, of the forest, and the moon. Protector of children, too.”
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
To a man and woman, they made themselves Earth’s protectors because they have the means and muscle to take on the job.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
But the strongest protectors against accelerated ageing, he said, are a person's income and availability of resources, including health care.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 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
In the 1970s, the IBM uniform included short-sleeved white shirts with pocket protectors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
A heartbeat, two, four, and sud-denly it was as if she and her protectors were alone in the wood.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
