bodyguard
|bod-y-guard|
🇺🇸
/ˈbɑːdiɡɑrd/
🇬🇧
/ˈbɒdiɡɑːd/
physically protect a person
Etymology
'bodyguard' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'body' + 'guard', where 'body' referred to the physical person and 'guard' came via Old French 'garder' meaning 'to keep, protect'.
'bodyguard' developed in early Modern English (around the 16th–17th centuries) by combining the noun 'body' with 'guard' (from Old French/Germanic roots); the concept and term stabilized in English usage to refer to a personal protector.
Initially it literally meant 'a guard for the body (physical protection)'; over time the core meaning has remained focused on personal physical protection, though its use broadened to include organized security details and metaphorical defenders.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person, often employed professionally, whose job is to protect another person (especially a public figure or VIP) from physical harm or attack.
The politician arrived at the venue flanked by two bodyguards.
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Noun 2
a member of a security detail assigned to guard and accompany someone for safety (can refer to an individual or the role within a security team).
One of the bodyguards scanned the crowd for suspicious behavior.
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Last updated: 2025/11/29 19:19