English → Latin
“guard” in Latin
custōdiōto monitor, supervise, guard; to protect, defend; to observe, take heed, watchservōto maintain, keep; to protect, save, keep, guard, safeguard, watch over; to give heed to, pay attention to; watch, obserasservōto watch over, observe, guard, keep; preserve, store upmūniōto provide with defensive works, fortify; to provide with defensive works, fortify; to guard from attack, defendtegōto cover; to clothe; to conceal, hide, protectprōtegōto cover; to protect, defendobservōto observe, watch, pay attention to; to guard, keep watch over; to heed, regard, respectcōnservātiōa conservation, protectioncustōdiaprotection, safekeeping; custody, guardianship; prisonercautiōprecaution, caution; stipulation, proviso, exception
The English word guard itself goes back to Latin wardō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
guard v.
custodire (the proper word, from or against anything, ab aliqua re or contra aliquid; also, IMPROP. = observare): servare: asservare (to take care of, to watch): munire (to protect against anything, ab aliqua re, contra or adversus aliquid): tegere: protegere (ab aliqua re or contra aliquid; Vid: also, To DEFEND). To guard the defiles by a strong redoubt, fauces regionis valido munimento sepire: to guard anything against fire, aliquid contra ignem firmare; against frost and the weather, a frigore et tempestate munire; contra frigorum aestusque injuriam tueri (e.g., the head): to guard against anything [Vid: “to be on one’s GUARD,” s.] : to guard against the cold, a frigore se defendere: to guard the house, domum servare or custodire: to be guarded, custodiri; in custodia esse: to have anything guarded, custodem (custodes) imponere alicui rei, seldom in re; anybody, alicui (never in aliquo; Vid: Bremi, Nep., Cim., 4, 1); custodias alicui circumdare: to have a place guarded, locum custodiis munire.
guard s.
The act of keeping or preservng, conservatio: custodia (a watching).
Man or men posted to guard a place, custos (general term); vigil (nocturnus, by night): excubitor (Vid: plur., below). Guards, custodia: custodes (general terms); excubitores: excubiae (for the security of a place, as well by day as by night; also the right term for sentinels before a palace); vigiliae: vigiles (at night; patrols); statio: stationes (outposts; pickets; especially in the day). To post guards, custodias, or vigilias, or stationes disponere.
The office or state of being a guard, vigiliae: statio [SYN. above]. To be going to mount guard, excubiae in stationem procedunt; milites in stationes succedunt; *in stationum vices succedere (the last of the soldiers that relieve the posts): to come off guard, de statione decedere: to be on guard (of a soldier), excubare or excubias agere (general term); vigilias agere (at night); stationem agere: in statione esse: stationem habere (to be on duty, to be posted as sentinel): stationem regere or stationi praeesse (of the officer): the officer on guard, *stationi praefectus or praepositus.
A soldier belonging to the life-guards, miles praetorianus (Silver Age).
State of readiness to ward off an attack, cautio. To be on one’s guard against anything or anybody, cavere aliquid or aliquem (sibi) cavere ab aliqua re or ab aliquo; also, with ne, ut: one must be on one’s guard, cauto or praecauto opus est: to be on one’s guard against treachery, cavere insidias or praecavere ab insidiis: to be on one’s guard, cavere: cavere sibi: animum attendere ad cavendum.
In fencing, ictus propulsatio.
Part of the hilt of a sword, *scutulum capulare.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for guard?
- The usual Latin words for “guard” are custōdiō, servō, asservō; also mūniō, tegō, prōtegō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.