To keep safe from harm, injury, or danger; to shield, guard, or defend.
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Latin15th centurywell-attested
From Latin 'protectus,' past participle of 'protegere' (to cover in front, to shield, to guard), a compound of 'pro-' (in front of, for, on behalf of) + 'tegere' (to cover). The Latin 'tegere' is the direct reflex of PIE *teg- (to cover, to roof over), one of the clearest architectural metaphors embedded in deep linguistic history. The same root produced Latin 'tegula' (a roofing tile, from tegere), 'toga' (the Roman garment that covered and wrapped
Did you know?
A 'protégé' is literally 'a protected one' — someone underthe protection of a mentor. A 'detective' is someone who 'un-covers' — removes the covering from hidden truths. A 'toga' was a covering garment. And 'thatch' (a roof
between you and harm. The word entered English in the 15th century from French 'proteger.' Key roots: prō- (Latin: "in front of, for, on behalf of"), tegere (Latin: "to cover"), *teg- (Proto-Indo-European: "to cover").