protectress

American  

[proh-tek-tris] / proʊˈtɛk trɪs /

noun

1. a woman who guards or defends someone or something; protector.

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Gender

See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of protectress

First recorded in 1560–70; protect(o)r + -ess

Example Sentences

Like a good huntsman, she was careful to preserve the young; she was “the protectress of dewy youth” everywhere.

From Literature

Sometimes at night he dared to steal out and sit with his protectress before her fire�but no chance to escape ever came.

From Time Magazine Archive

The most urgent painting here is one of the Met’s very first purchases: Anthony van Dyck’s “Saint Rosalia,” vanquisher of a 17th-century epidemic, whom I’ve adopted as my Covid protectress.

From New York Times

With terror in their hearts, 20,000 people paraded the streets carrying a picture of Holy Mary of Riplata, Cerignola's protectress, the while loudly imploring the saint to save the city from destruction.

From Time Magazine Archive

"In all my years in the theater," proclaimed the outraged protectress, "I have never witnessed an attitude like this."

From Time Magazine Archive