guardess

English

Etymology

guard +‎ -ess

Noun

guardess (plural guardesses)

1. (dated or rare) A female guard.
   • 1864, Sir Richard Francis Burton, A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome, volume 1, page 254:

     The gala-dress of the guardesses was decent, and not uncomely. A narrow fillet of blue or white cotton bound the hair, and the bosom was concealed by a sleeveless waistcoat of various colours […]

   • 2011, Sue Tilley, Leigh Bowery: The Life and Times of an Icon:

     One day Trojan was sitting on the sofa when Leigh came into the room dressed as Else Kochs, a German concentration camp guardess […]

Anagrams

• desugars, esguards, graduses