tutelary
UK /ˈtjuːtɪləɹɪ/ · US /ˈtutɪlɛɹɪ/ adjective, noun
Forms tutelaries tutelarie
- adjective Relating to guardianship or protection. “When a minor is involved, tutelary powers frequently accompany powers of attorney.”
- adjective Of or pertaining to a guardian. “My uncle is always happy to discharge his tutelary responsibilities towards me.”
- adjective Having the qualities of a tutor.
- noun (religion, chiefly paganism) A deity or spirit serving as a guardian or protector of a place, person, culture, etc.; a tutelar, a tutelary deity.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Latin tūtēlārius (“guardian”), from tūtēla (“tutelage, guardianship; dependent, client”) + -ārius (suffix denoting an agent of use); analysable as tutelar + -ary.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Having the guardianship or charge of protecting a person or a thing; guardian; protecting; as, tutelary goddesses.
Etymology [L. tutelaris: cf. F. tutélaire. See Tutelage.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “tutelary”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details