Ward and Guard Are the Same Word Twice
A ward is a division of a hospital or city, and a person under protection. All from watching.
A ward is a division of a hospital or city, a person under guardianship, or the act of guarding. *Ward* and *guard* are the same word arriving twice: the Germanic form came through Old English *weard*, a watchman, and the same root returned through Norman French as *guard*. English has several such pairs where a w turned into gu in French. That gives *warden* and *guardian*, *warranty* and *guarantee*, *wile* and *guile*, and *William* and *Guillaume*.
- A hospital division. *The surgical ward.*
- A person protected. *A ward of court.*
- A city district. *An electoral ward.*
- Guard — the same word. *A guard.*
- Old English — *weard*, a watchman. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | ward | A ward. |
| Verb | ward | Ward off. |
| Agent | warden | A warden. |
| Related | guard | A guard. |
| Related | guardian | A guardian. |
- She works on the ward.Hospital.
- A ward of court.Law.
- Ward off the cold.Verb.
W and GU doublets
- Ward and guard
- Warden and guardian
- Warranty and guarantee
- Wile and guile
- William and Guillaume
Old English *weard*, a watchman or guard, the Germanic source that French returned to English as *guard*.
Are ward and guard related?
Yes. They are the same word, one inherited through Old English and one borrowed back through Norman French.
Why do these pairs differ by w and gu?
Norman French rendered a Germanic w sound as gu, so words borrowed back arrived in the altered form.