# protector

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹəˈtɛktɚ/ · frequency rank #11,585

## Definitions
1. Someone who protects or guards, by assignment or on their own initiative.
2. Someone who protects or guards, by assignment or on their own initiative.
3. A device or mechanism which is designed to protect.
4. One who prevents interference.
5. A state or other subject under international law, exercising a protectorate over another subject in international law.
6. One having the care of the kingdom during the king's minority; a regent.
7. A cardinal, from one of the more considerable Roman Catholic nations, who looks after the interests of his people at Rome; also, a cardinal who has the same relation to a college, religious order, etc.

## Etymology
From Middle English protectour, from Anglo-Norman protectour, protector and its etymon Latin prōtēctor, from prōtegō (“shield, protect”). By surface analysis, protect + -or. Displaced native Old English sċildend.

## Easily confused with
- **protester** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protector-vs-protester)
- **protect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protect-vs-protector)
- **proctor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/proctor-vs-protector)
- **protected** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protected-vs-protector)
- **projector** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/projector-vs-protector)
- **protection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/protection-vs-protector)
- **prosecutor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prosecutor-vs-protector)
- **prospector** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prospector-vs-protector)

## Common misspellings (14)
`portector`, `pprotector`, `proetctor`, `protcetor`, `protecctor`, `protecotr`, `protectorr`, `protectro`, `protecttor`, `protetcor`, `prottector`, `prrotector`, `prtoector`, `rpotector`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/protector