guardian

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.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑɹ.di.ən/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑː.dɪ.ən/
• (US, dialectal) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑɹ.din/ (see guardeen)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)dɪən

guardian (plural guardians)

1. Someone who guards, watches over, or protects.
   • 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:

     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 […]

   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, page 52::

     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.

2. (law) A person legally responsible for a minor (in loco parentis).
3. (law) A person legally responsible for an incompetent person.
4. A superior in a Franciscan monastery.
5. (video games) A major or final enemy; boss.
   • 1993, Zach Meston, J. Douglas Arnold, Awesome Super Nintendo Secrets 2:

     Secret weak points of bosses/guardians.

   • 2004, James Newman, Videogames:

     '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'

• → Japanese: ガーディアン (gādian)

• Grauniad

Old French garden, from the verb guarder.

guardian m (plural guardians)

1. guardian; protector