Meanings
plural safeguards
- Something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense.
Getting a flu shot is a good safeguard against illness.
2 more examples
[T]he king ſent to the ſea ſixe good ſhippes, well manned and vitayled for the warre: […] for ſaffegarde of the Merchauntes, and other the kinges ſubiectes, that were greuouſly ſpoyled and robbed on the ſea, by Frenchmen, Scottes and other rouers.
a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Triumphant Reigne of Kyng Henry the VIII.] The .XIIJ. Yere.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Rychard Grafton, […] [and Steven Mierdman], published 1550, →OCLC, folio lxxxxi, rectoAn externment of a person is a harsh punishment on him and calls for procedural safeguards against the abuse of power by the authorities.
1983, D. C. Pandey, Habitual Offenders and the Law, page 31 - One who, or that which, defends or protects; defence; protection.
Thy sword, the safeguard of thy brother's throne.
1726, George Granville, To the King, in the First Year of His Majesty’s Reign - A safe-conduct or passport, especially in time of war.
the inheritance of their loves and safeguard
c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii] - obsoleteThe monitor lizard.
The same idea is entertained of the Safeguard in America, as of the Monitor in Africa, and other parts of the Old World, […]
1844, The Animal Kingdom
present singular third person safeguards · participle present safeguarding · participle past safeguarded · past safeguarded
- IrelandUKbroadlyTo implement safeguarding.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.
nouna document or escort providing safe passage through a region especially in time of war
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Frenchsauvegarde
- Middle Englishsavegard
- Englishsafeguard
From Middle English savegard, from Middle French sauvegarde, from Old French salve garde, sauve garde, reconstructed as safe + guard.
More words from Middle English, Middle French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian защита, охрана
- защита (zaštita)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- охрана (ohrana)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- предпазвам (predpazvam)to protect, to keep safe
- гарантирам (garantiram)to protect, to keep safe
- охранявам (ohranjavam)to escort safely
Danish beskyttelse, værn
- beskyttelsesomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- værnsomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- beskytteto protect, to keep safe
- sikreto protect, to keep safe
Finnish suoja, kulkulupa
- suojasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- kulkulupaa safe-conduct, especially in time of war
- turvatato protect, to keep safe
- suojatato protect, to keep safe
- suojatato escort safely
- turvatato escort safely
French protéger
- protégerto protect, to keep safe
German Sicherung, Schutz
- Sicherungsomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- Schutzsomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- Absicherungsomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- absichernto protect, to keep safe
- schützento protect, to keep safe
Greek διασφάλιση, εξασφάλιση
- διασφάλιση (diasfálisi)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- εξασφάλιση (exasfálisi)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
Hebrew לְאַבְטֵחַ
- לְאַבְטֵחַ (le'avtéach)to protect, to keep safe
Italian salvaguardia, tutela
- salvaguardiasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- tutelasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- difesasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- garanziasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- salvaguardareto protect, to keep safe
Latin munio, praemunio
- munioto protect, to keep safe
- praemunioto protect, to keep safe
Māori whakahaumaru
- whakahaumaruto protect, to keep safe
Norwegian sikring
- sikringsomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
Portuguese salvaguarda, salvaguardar
- salvaguardasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- salvaguardarto protect, to keep safe
Romanian salvgarda
- salvgardato protect, to keep safe
Russian гара́нтия
- гара́нтия (garántija)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
Slovak poistka, ochrana
- poistkasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- ochranasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- zabezpečiťto protect, to keep safe
- zabezpečovaťto protect, to keep safe
Spanish salvaguardia, resguardo
- salvaguardiasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- resguardosomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- salvaguardasomething that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- salvaguardiaa safe-conduct, especially in time of war
- salvaguardarto protect, to keep safe
- resguardarto protect, to keep safe
Ukrainian за́хист, гара́нтія
- за́хист (záxyst)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- гара́нтія (harántija)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- запору́ка (zaporúka)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- запобі́жник (zapobížnyk)something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense
- запобі́гти (zapobíhty)to protect, to keep safe
- запобіга́ти (zapobiháty)to protect, to keep safe
- гарантува́ти (harantuváty)to protect, to keep safe
Cite this entry
safeguard. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/safeguard
“safeguard.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/safeguard. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “safeguard,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/safeguard.
Source: safeguard on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.