Middle English word wardein comes from Proto-Germanic *ward-, Frankish *wardōn (To guard, protect, watch over.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *ward- | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| *wardōn | Frankish (frk) | To guard, protect, watch over. |
| *wardon | Frankish (frk) | |
| wardo | Latin (lat) | (Medieval Latin) I guard. (Medieval Latin) I herd cattle. (Medieval Latin) I ward against. |
| guarder | Old French (fro) | To look at. To protect; to guard. |
| warder | Old French (fro) | (Old Northern French, Anglo-Norman). |
| wardein | Old Northern French (fro-nor) | |
| wardein | Anglo-Norman (xno) | |
| wardein | Middle English (enm) |