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guardian spirit

guardian spirit

1 7.9
A protective being or angel that watches over a person
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : espíritu guardián
  • She often prayed to her guardian spirit for guidance in difficult times.
  • village guardian spirits
  • individual guardian spirits

Examples

  • 'Cause they believed that that guardian spirit would then watch over them and protect them all their lives.

  • The importance of these distinctions should not be overemphasized, as many villagers do not know who their guardian spirit is, only that he exists.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Our most powerful guardian spirit... lives in the Dark Water.

  • They'd wait there for a vision of their guardian spirit to appear to them.

  • The purpose of training is to gain control of the yidam or guardian spirit.

    Academic text (1990)
  • All these years you told us we were rescued from the fire by a great guardian spirit, the Hogo-sha.

  • The Northern Thai guardian spirit is not a village ancestor, and the village lacks a post.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Other Tai groups rely on the power of their guardian spirit or the powers that lay ritual experts tap into.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Lak muong are usually associated with a guardian spirit.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The guardian spirit towered over the apelike boatswain, laughing at the terror in the sailor's eyes.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

angel
vsguardian spirit
881 1.8

A religious being with wings believed to bring messages or help from God

is more about personal protection for one specific person
spirit
vsguardian spirit
527 7.0

A ghost or supernatural being that can appear to people

is specifically believed to protect or watch over a particular person
guardian angel
vsguardian spirit
39 4.6

A spirit or person people believe protects and helps someone

is only a supernatural protector not an ordinary person who watches someone
good spirit
vsguardian spirit
  • Literature
4 7.8

A kind spirit that protects people and brings good luck

is focused on protecting and watching a specific person

Antonyms

evil spirit
  • Literature
41 6.8

A ghost or invisible being people believe causes harm and bad luck

How Protective

protector
129 2.8
guardian spirit
  • Literature
1 7.9
helper
79 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

guardian + spirit

The phrase is a straightforward composition of 'guardian' (protector) and 'spirit' (an incorporeal being), so its meaning 'a spirit that protects or watches over someone' is directly derivable from the parts. This noun–noun compound follows normal English compounding patterns and has clear cross‑linguistic equivalents (e.g. Spanish 'espíritu guardián'), making it readily comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Guardian spirit comes from old stories that a spirit stands beside a person like a guardian to watch and protect them. That's why it means 'a spirit or angel who protects or watches over someone'.