Definition of LIFEGUARD

lifeguard

Meanings

Plural: lifeguards

Noun

  • an attendant employed at a beach or pool to protect swimmers from accidents
  • A lifesaver: a rescuer, usually an expert swimmer, employed to save swimmers in trouble or near drowning at a body of water.
  • A bodyguard or unit of bodyguards, a guard of someone's (especially a king's) life or person.
  • A sturdy metal bracket fixed in front of each of the leading wheels of a train to deflect small objects away from the wheels to prevent derailment.

Origin / Etymology

From life + guard, calque of Dutch lijfgarde, where life has the sense of Dutch lijf (“body”) (hence literally “bodyguard”). Compare German Leibgarde (“bodyguard”), Danish livgarde (“bodyguard”), Swedish livgarde (“bodyguard”). Compare also Old English līfweard (“guardian of life”).

Synonyms

lifesaver

Scrabble Score: 14

lifeguard is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
lifeguard is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
lifeguard is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

lifeguard is a valid Words With Friends word