bodyguard: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal; common in news, security contexts, and general description.
Quick answer
What does “bodyguard” mean?
A person or group of people employed to protect an individual from physical attack or other danger.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person or group of people employed to protect an individual from physical attack or other danger.
Figuratively, anything that serves to protect or shield someone or something from harm, criticism, or unwanted attention.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. The term is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, connotes professionalism, potential physical threat, and status (as having a bodyguard can indicate importance or wealth).
Frequency
Equal frequency. Slight preference in UK media for 'close protection officer' in formal security contexts, but 'bodyguard' remains the dominant general term.
Grammar
How to Use “bodyguard” in a Sentence
bodyguard for [someone]bodyguard to [someone][someone]'s bodyguardwork as a bodyguardVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bodyguard” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - not standard as a verb.
American English
- N/A - not standard as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A - not standard as an adjective. Use 'protective' or 'security'.
American English
- N/A - not standard as an adjective. Use 'protective' or 'security'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in executive protection services or discussing security for high-profile CEOs.
Academic
Rare, may appear in political science discussing leader security, or in cultural studies discussing celebrity.
Everyday
Common when discussing celebrities, politicians, or people in perceived danger.
Technical
Used in security and close protection professions, often with specific protocols (e.g., 'advance work', 'protective formation').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bodyguard”
- Using 'bodyguard' as a verb (incorrect: 'He bodyguards the minister'; correct: 'He works as a bodyguard for the minister' or 'He guards the minister').
- Confusing 'bodyguard' with 'bouncer' (a bouncer protects a venue, a bodyguard protects a person).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost always written as one word: 'bodyguard'. The two-word form 'body guard' is considered archaic and incorrect in modern English.
Absolutely. While the profession has been male-dominated, the term is gender-neutral. A female bodyguard is simply called a bodyguard.
A security guard typically protects a building, property, or event. A bodyguard's primary duty is the close, personal protection of a specific individual (the 'principal' or 'protectee').
It's grammatically possible but less common and slightly awkward. More natural phrasing is 'a bodyguard for the president', 'one of the president's bodyguards', or 'a presidential bodyguard'.
A person or group of people employed to protect an individual from physical attack or other danger.
Bodyguard is usually neutral to formal; common in news, security contexts, and general description. in register.
Bodyguard: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɒdiɡɑːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɑːdiɡɑːrd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A human shield (related concept, but implies involuntary use)”
- “To be someone's shadow (implies following closely, like a bodyguard might)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word literally: a 'body' that 'guards' another body.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROTECTION IS A SHIELD; A PERSON IS A FORTRESS (requiring guards).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely role for a bodyguard?