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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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
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.
Perry says her mother was also a fierce, if deeply flawed, protector, who was forced to become the sole provider as Perry’s father squandered his earnings.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
“Charge my phone?” asked another, and Gil submitted the device into a tangle of cords growing from a surge protector.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
Some films cast the King of the Monsters as a protector unconsciously joining humanity – and occasionally, King Kong – to fend off some mammoth existential evil.
From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026
Over time, Superman has been transformed into a moody teen and a Christ-figure, a violent threat and a cuddly protector.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026
We’d delivered Abraham Lincoln safely to Washington and into the history books as the protector of the Union.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
