Men who work as guards or protectors, especially soldiers who serve ceremonial or protective functions.
From 'guard' (Old French 'garde' from Germanic 'wardon' meaning 'to watch') plus the agent noun suffix '-men.' Compound terms for professions have existed in English since at least Old English times.
The British 'Yeomen of the Guard' are among the oldest continuously serving ceremonial troops, but the word 'guardsmen' also applies to regular security personnel—it's a democratizing word that applies from palace to parking lot.
Guardsmen uses the masculine default for military/security roles. Women have served in these positions since at least WW2, yet the gendered term persists as the institutional standard.
Use 'guards' or 'guardspeople' for mixed or unknown groups. If specifically referring to a male individual, 'guardsman' is appropriate.
["guards","guardspeople","guard"]
Women served in armed guard roles throughout the 20th century, including elite positions, but institutional language often defaults to masculine forms.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.