guardie

Guardie is the plural form of guardia in Italian and is used to denote persons or groups tasked with guarding, protecting, or supervising people or property, or with enforcing rules and orders. The term covers a broad range of roles and institutions, from official public authorities to private security providers, and from military or ceremonial units to everyday occupations.

In public safety and security contexts, guardie may refer to prison guards (guardie carcerarie), who ensure custody of detainees; private security guards (guardie giurate or addetti alla sicurezza privata), who perform surveillance and access control and may be armed under licensing rules; and building or event security personnel. In ceremonial or protective roles, well-known examples include the Pontifical Swiss Guards (Guardie Svizzere Pontificie), the ceremonial unit that guards the Pope and the Vatican.

In sports and popular culture, guardia denotes a position or role that emphasizes guarding opponents or handling the backcourt. In basketball, for instance, guardie refers to guards, including point guards and shooting guards.

The term is also used in compound forms to specify functions, such as guardia notturna (night guard), guardia di frontiera (border guard), or guardia giurata (sworn private security personnel). The exact duties and legal status of guardie vary by country and context, reflecting differences in security frameworks, licensing, and jurisdiction.