Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

lifeguard

/ˈlaɪfˌɡɑɹd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.07 in modern English

Syllables: life-guard
IPA: /ˈlaɪfˌɡɑɹd/

14

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A lifesaver: a rescuer, usually an expert swimmer, employed to save swimmers in trouble or near drowning at a body of water.

noun

A bodyguard or unit of bodyguards, a guard of someone's (especially a king's) life or person.

noun

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.

Example Sentences

"It's also generally wise to recruit lifeguards to ensure visitor safety, as bathers can panic in the water and require assistance."
""The people's love is the king's lifeguard.""
"[I]n the reserve were the king's lifeguard, commanded by the earl of Lindsey, and prince Rupert's regiment of foot[.]"
"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."
"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."

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”).

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈlaɪfˌɡɑɹd/

Inflected Forms

lifeguards (plural) life-guard (alternative)

Derived Forms

lifeguarded lifeguarding

Synonyms

lifesaver

Questions

How do you pronounce lifeguard?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlaɪfˌɡɑɹd/.
What does lifeguard mean?: A lifesaver: a rescuer, usually an expert swimmer, employed to save swimmers in trouble or near drowning at a body of water.
Where does lifeguard come from?: 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”).

How to pronounce lifeguard

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