Rearguards

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group tasked with protecting the rear of a military formation during an advance or retreat
2. Individuals or units assigned to secure the backline in combat situations to prevent surprise attacks
3. The protective force providing cover behind the main advancing troops in an operation to ensure safety from threats behind

Etymology: "Rearguards" is simply the plural of "rearguard," a noun for the troops who protect an army's back as the main force advances. The word is a folk-sensible compound of "rear" and "guard," but its real history runs through French. It descends from Old French "rereguarde," which is attested in "The Song of Roland," a French epic dating from around 1150. That poem is famous for a disastrous rearguard action, so the term was already tied to military rear protection in its earliest surviving written record. The Old French word joined "rere," meaning "after" or "behind," with "guarde," meaning "guard." English took it in through Anglo-Norman and Middle French forms, which gave Middle English "rier garde." Modern "rear" and "guard" were then reshaped into the familiar two-part spelling, so the English word looks like a simple pairing of two everyday words even though its parts were originally French.

Synonyms: defenders, protectors