Swiss Guard

American

noun

a member of a corps of bodyguards protecting the pope, with membership restricted to natives of Switzerland.

Swiss Guard British

noun

the bodyguard of the pope, recruited from Swiss nationals
a member of this bodyguard
one of a group of Swiss mercenaries who acted as bodyguards to the French kings: destroyed in the Revolution

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Swiss Guard

First recorded in 1690–1700

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.

The Swiss Guard is an armed military force that has been protecting the pope and the Apostolic Palace within the territory of Vatican City since 1506.

From Washington Times • Aug. 22, 2023

The Swiss Guard protect the pope and his residence.

From New York Times • Jan. 2, 2023

In order to help with the recruitment, the Swiss Guard have opened a new media office and contact point in Switzerland, according to a statement released by the Guard on Thursday.

From Reuters • Sep. 1, 2022

The nearest you can get is a gate protected by a single Swiss Guard.

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2019

There was a man, three men, blocking the path ahead—uniformed—white men with crossbows and snarling wolf-dog dæmons—the Swiss Guard.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023