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door guard

door guard

1 2.5
A person who stands at an entrance to check people entering
  • noun
  • /dɔr ɡɑrd/
translation icon : portero
  • Pam, hair in a bun, face behind glasses, cloaked in a frumpy suit, is standing behind two door guards.

Examples

  • Each evening, the door guard made sure everyone signed out before leaving the office.

  • The door guard checked visitors' identification before allowing them inside the building.

  • The door guard opened it cautiously.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Visitors were never allowed to enter the research facilities, and everyone who worked there had to sign in and sign out at the front door guard station.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The door guard silently led him to the foot of the marble stairs, where Okula, cops, paramedics, and librarians were gathered around a man lying on the lowest step.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • As the event began, the door guard stood watch to ensure only invited guests entered.

Synonyms

guard
vsdoor guard
1.2

A person whose job is to protect people or property

is assigned to watch an entrance and admit or refuse entry only
security guard
vsdoor guard
210 1.3

A person who watches and protects a building or people to stop stealing and trouble

focuses narrowly on watching an entrance rather than wide security duties
doorman
vsdoor guard
106 1.2

A person who stands at a building entrance to greet visitors and check who can enter

focuses only on guarding the entrance rather than attending visitors
lookout
vsdoor guard
88 3.7

A person who watches and warns others about danger

focuses on physically guarding an entrance rather than spotting threats
gatekeeper
vsdoor guard
58 5.1

A person or group that controls who can enter a place and who can meet someone

is the physical act of guarding a door rather than gatekeeping decisions
sentinel
vsdoor guard
31 7.4

A person who watches a place to warn others of danger

is primarily stationed at an entrance, not mainly watching for events
watchman
vsdoor guard
28 4.1

A person who guards a building or land, usually at night

is concentrated on a doorway entrance rather than general area watch
porter
vsdoor guard
  • UK
16 4.3

A person who guards a building entrance and checks visitors

limits duties to guarding rather than assisting visitors
night watchman
vsdoor guard
11 3.2

A person who guards a place at night

is the same entrance guarding role but for any time of day
doorkeeper
vsdoor guard
1 2.8

A person who guards a building entrance and controls who can enter

is a general entrance guardian without stressing control duties
hall porter
vsdoor guard
  • UK
1 6.5

A person who works at a building entrance and helps visitors in hotels or university halls

is more narrowly about guarding entrances only
doorwoman
vsdoor guard
4.2

A woman who guards the entrance to a building

is the basic role of protecting an entrance without visitor help
ostiary
vsdoor guard
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who watches and opens the door of a church

is the everyday entrance guard role without the historical sense
gateman
vsdoor guard
  • Archaic
4.6

A person who guards a gate and controls who goes in and out

covers entrance guarding at doors rather than gate locations
night watchwoman
vsdoor guard
5.3

A woman who guards a building at night

describes guarding entrances generally, not only night shifts
watchwoman
vsdoor guard
6.8

A woman who guards a building or area, often at night

is the entrance-focused role rather than broader area guarding

How Protective

sentry
26 6.0
security guard
210 1.3
door guard
1 2.5
guard
1.2
doorman
106 1.2

Surface Forms

door guard singular
door guards plural

Morphology

door + guard

The meaning 'a person who guards the entrance' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'door' (an entrance) with 'guard' (a person who protects), forming a straightforward noun+noun compound that describes role/location. This is a productive, compositional pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Door guard comes from the simple picture of a guard standing at a door to watch and check people before they enter. So it means 'a person whose job is to guard the entrance'.