Guardian Meaning
/ˈɡɑː.dɪ.ən/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounSomeone who guards, watches over, or protects.
nounA person legally responsible for a minor (in loco parentis).
Sentence Examples
John acts like Helen's guardian.
I regard myself as your guardian.
He considers himself a guardian of moral standards.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The child's legal ____ was responsible for her education and health.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The court appointed a legal ____ to look after the interests of the child until she reached the age of eighteen.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English gardein, garden, (also wardein, > Modern English warden), from Old French guardein, from the verb guarder, of Germanic origin. Compare French gardien. Doublet of warden. By surface analysis, guard + -ian.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Thoſe who ought to be the guardians of propriety are often the perverters of it. Hence Accidence for Accidents, Prepoſtor for Prepoſitor and Conſtur for Conſtrue[…]"
— 1791, John Walker, A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary […] , London: Sold by G. G. J. and J. Robinſon, Paternoſter Row; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, →OCLC, page 162:
"I always had a suspicion that Calico, with his blend of simple faith and gipsy blood, had violated a temple, or looted a shrine, to save his son's life, and that the guardians of the relic tracked him and revenged the outrage."
— 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:
"As your Senior Tutor, I am your moral guardian,’ he said at last. ‘A moral guardian yearns for an immoral ward and the Lord has provided."
— 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, page 52::
"Secret weak points of bosses/guardians."
— 1993, Zach Meston, J. Douglas Arnold, Awesome Super Nintendo Secrets 2:
"'if you tell me how to find the secret door in level three, I'll tell you how to defeat the end of level guardian'"
— 2004, James Newman, Videogames:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The child's legal ____ was responsible for her education and health.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The court appointed a legal ____ to look after the interests of the child until she reached the age of eighteen.