pretorians

/priˈtɔriənz/
noun
  1. Members of the Praetorian Guard, the elite bodyguard of ancient Roman emperors.
    • Emperors often feared the pretorians because they could make or break a ruler.
    • The pretorians were stationed at the palace to ensure the emperor's safety.
    • The pretorians received higher pay and better privileges than regular soldiers.
  2. A group of people who act as powerful protectors or enforcers for a leader or institution.
    • In the company, the pretorians were the executives who always backed the founder's decisions.
    • The regime's pretorians suppressed any dissent with swift action.
    • The prime minister's pretorians controlled access to his office.
What does "pretorians" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean