protector

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. One who protects; a guardian.
2. n. A device that protects; a guard.
3. n. A person who rules a kingdom during the minority of a sovereign.
4. n. The head of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1653 to 1659.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. One who or that which protects, defends, or shields from injury or any evil; a defender; a guardian; a patron: as, a child's natural protectors.
2. n. In English history: One who had the care of the kingdom during the king's minority or incapacity; a regent: as, the Duke of Somerset was protector in the reign of Edward VI.
3. n. [capitalized] The title (in full Lord Protector) of the head of the executive during part of the period of the Commonwealth: it was held by Oliver Cromwell 1653–8, and by Richard Cromwell 1658–9.
4. n. In weaving, a stop-motion attached to a power-loom, which immediately stops the loom when the shuttle fails to enter the box.

Wiktionary

1. n. Someone who protects or guards, by assignment or on his own initiative.
2. n. A device or mechanism which is designed to protect.
3. n. One who prevents interference.
4. n. A state or other subject under international law, exercising a protectorate over another subject in international law.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. One who, or that which, defends or shields from injury, evil, oppression, etc.; a defender; a guardian; a patron.
2. n. (Eng. Hist.) One having the care of the kingdom during the king's minority; a regent.
3. n. (R. C. Ch.) A cardinal, from one of the more considerable Roman Catholic nations, who looks after the interests of his people at Rome; also, a cardinal who has the same relation to a college, religious order, etc.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a person who cares for persons or property