rearguard

R1E1A1R1G2U1A1R1D2
/ˈɹɪəɹˌɡɑɹd/

noun

The rearmost part of a force, especially a detachment of troops that protect the rear of a retreating force.

Opposite
vanguard
OriginMiddle English rier garde ← Anglo-Norman reregard, reregarde, rereguarde ← Middle French rieregarde →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

nounrearguard (plural rearguards)

plural rearguards · alternative rear guard · alternative rear-guard

  1. attributiveoftengovernmentThe rearmost part of a force, especially a detachment of troops that protect the rear of a retreating force.

    Antonyms: vanguard

  2. attributiveoftenball gamesThe defence, collectively the defenders.

    Mancini's side only showed enough ambition when it was too late and by then battle lines were drawn as James Collins and former City captain Richard Dunne fought a magnificent rearguard action at the heart of Villa's defence.

    2011 January 22, Phil McNulty, “Aston Villa 1 - 0 Man City”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 09 Aug 2022

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe rearmost part of a force, especially a detachment of troops that protect the rear of a retreating force.

Opposite
vanguard
Also see
arrière-garde

Origin

  1. Old Frenchrereguarde
  2. Middle Frenchrieregarde
  3. Anglo-Normanreregard, reregarde, rereguarde
  4. Middle Englishrier garde
  5. Englishrearguard

From Middle English rier garde, from Anglo-Norman reregard, reregarde, rereguarde and Middle French rieregarde, from Old French rereguarde (attested in The Song of Roland, c. 1150), from rere (“after; behind”) + guarde (“guard”). By surface analysis, rear + guard. Piecewise doublet of retrogarde.

More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Middle French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek οὐραγία, ὀπισθοφύλακες
  • οὐραγία (ouragía)the rearmost part of a force
  • ὀπισθοφύλακες (opisthophúlakes)the rearmost part of a force
Bulgarian ариергард, защита
  • ариергард (ariergard)the rearmost part of a force
  • защита (zaštita)soccer: defence
Catalan rereguarda
  • rereguardathe rearmost part of a force
Dutch achterhoede
  • achterhoedethe rearmost part of a force
Finnish jälkijoukko, puolustus
  • jälkijoukkothe rearmost part of a force
  • puolustussoccer: defence
French arrière-garde
  • arrière-gardethe rearmost part of a force
German Nachhut
  • Nachhutthe rearmost part of a force
Greek οπισθοφυλακή
  • οπισθοφυλακή (opisthofylakí)the rearmost part of a force
Hebrew מְאַסֵּף
  • מְאַסֵּף (measéf)the rearmost part of a force
Italian retroguardia
  • retroguardiathe rearmost part of a force
Latvian arjergards
  • arjergardsthe rearmost part of a force
Māori whakatautopenga, pūmanawa
  • whakatautopengathe rearmost part of a force
  • pūmanawathe rearmost part of a force
  • hikuthe rearmost part of a force
Norwegian baktropp
  • baktroppthe rearmost part of a force
Polish ariergarda, straż tylna
  • ariergardathe rearmost part of a force
  • straż tylnathe rearmost part of a force
Portuguese retaguarda, zaga
  • retaguardathe rearmost part of a force
  • zagasoccer: defence
Russian арьерга́рд
  • арьерга́рд (arʹjergárd)the rearmost part of a force
Spanish retaguardia, rezaga
  • retaguardiathe rearmost part of a force
  • rezagathe rearmost part of a force
Tamil பின்னணி
  • பின்னணி (piṉṉaṇi)the rearmost part of a force
Turkish artçı, dümdar
  • artçıthe rearmost part of a force
  • dümdarthe rearmost part of a force
  • sakathe rearmost part of a force
Vietnamese đạo quân hậu tập
  • đạo quân hậu tậpthe rearmost part of a force
Cite this entry
APA

rearguard. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rearguard

MLA

“rearguard.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rearguard. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rearguard,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rearguard.

Source: rearguard on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.