Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “guardian” come from?

Guardian comes from Middle English guardian, from Old French guardein, from Frankish gardo, from Proto-Germanic gardaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʰórdʰos and the root wer-.

guardian (English): Someone who guards, watches over, or protects; A...

Definitions

  1. Someone who guards, watches over, or protects; A...

Ancestry of “guardian”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishgardenAlternative form of gardyn; Alternative form of...
2Anglo-Normanguardeinprotector; guardian; someone who keeps watch
3Old Frenchguarderto protect; to guard; to look at
4Frankishwardēnto protect; to guard, protect, watch over; to...
5Proto-Germanicwardānąto guard, protect, watch over
6Proto-Germanic*warduz—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “guardian”

  • guardianship
  • guardienne
  • guardianess
  • guardianless
  • guardianlike
  • coguardian
  • guardian angel
  • guardianage
  • guardiancy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →