Dictionary

lifeguard en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlaɪfˌɡɑɹd/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

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”).

Meanings

1. A lifesaver: a rescuer, usually an expert swimmer, employed to save swimmers in trouble or near drowning at a body of water.
   • It's also generally wise to recruit lifeguards to ensure visitor safety, as bathers can panic in the water and require assistance. 2025 February 14, Rick Lane, “Review: Planet Coaster 2”, in PC Gamer (US), number 392, page 67; published online 1 November 2024:
2. (uncommon) A bodyguard or unit of bodyguards, a guard of someone's (especially a king's) life or person.
   • Constantine the Great is known to have raised the five scholae of horsemen who formed the actual lifeguard of the prince, and followed his person whenever he went out to war. 2012, Charles Oman, A History of the Art of War: The Middle Ages:
   • "The people's love is the king's lifeguard." 1776, The London Magazine, Or, Gentleman's Monthly Intelligencer:
   • [I]n the reserve were the king's lifeguard, commanded by the earl of Lindsey, and prince Rupert's regiment of foot[.] 1843, Edward Hyde, The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, page 553:
3. 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.
   • It also looked at what effect stronger lifeguards might have had. They protect the leading wheels from small obstacles and in modern trains have coped with hitting landslip debris. 2022 March 23, Philip Haigh, “Network News: Driver of ScotRail HST had only seconds to react, says RAIB”, in RAIL, number 953, page 11:

Forms

Deriveds

lifeguarding · lifeguarded

Translations (61)

de Lebensretter (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · es bañero (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ajp منقذ (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · de Strandwächterin (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · fr maître-nageur (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · mg mpanavotra (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · de Bahnräumer (rail transport: metal bracket to deflect small objects) · cs plavčík (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · fi uimavalvoja (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · no livredder (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · hy փրկարար (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · bg спасител (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · de Rettungsschwimmerin (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · sk záchranár (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · uk рятува́льниця (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · nl strandmeester (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · es salvavidas (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · cmn 救生員 /救生员 (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · el ναυαγοσώστης (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · da livredder (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · nl reddingszwemmer (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · mi manapou moana (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · de Schienenräumer (rail transport: metal bracket to deflect small objects) · ru спаси́тель (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · he מציל (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · eo savgardisto (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · el ναυαγοσώστρια (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · sk plavčík (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · da redningssvømmer (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ar مُنْقِذ (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · es guardavidas (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · eu sorosle (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · et vetelpäästja (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · sk plavčíčka (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · nl badmeester (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · fr maître-nageuse (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · de Strandwächter (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ga garda tarrthála (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ru спаси́тельница (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · sk záchranárka (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ru спаса́тельница (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · pl ratownik (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · pt nadador-salvador (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · es socorrista (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · pt salva-vidas (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · sv badvakt (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · tr cankurtaran (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · it bagnino (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · fr sauveteur (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · es salvavidas (rail transport: metal bracket to deflect small objects) · de Bademeisterin (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · de Bademeister (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · de Rettungsschwimmer (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ko 인명구조원 (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ca socorrista (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · gl socorrista (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · uk рятува́льник (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · sh spasilac (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ro salvamar (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · fr nageur-sauveteur (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer) · ru спаса́тель (lifesaver, expert swimmer rescuer)