noun
guardian
GAHR-dee-uhn/ˈɡɑːrdiən/
A person responsible for protecting or caring for someone or something.
The guardian holds the child's hand while guiding the child safely across the street.
Etymology
Old French gardien meant a keeper or custodian. That idea of keeping someone safe underlies the guardian’s responsibility for another person’s protection and care.
In context
a guardian is appointed through the courts to have authority over someone's life you turn over immediately your bank account checking account savings account
More examples
- A parent or guardian must sign the permission slip.
- The museum's curator serves as a guardian of its collection.
- The court appoints her grandparents as her guardians.
Forms
guardian · guardians
guardianship noun — The legal responsibility for another person's care.
Similar words
- protector
- Emphasizes defense from harm rather than ongoing care or management.
- caretaker
- Emphasizes daily care rather than legal authority or protective oversight.