tutelar

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

tutelar
    adj 1: providing protective supervision; watching over or
           safeguarding; "daycare that is educational and not just
           custodial"; "a guardian angel"; "tutelary gods" [syn:
           {custodial}, {tutelary}, {tutelar}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Tutelar \Tu"te*lar\, Tutelary \Tu"te*la*ry\, a. [L. tutelaris:
   cf. F. tut['e]laire. See {Tutelage}.]
   Having the guardianship or charge of protecting a person or a
   thing; guardian; protecting; as, tutelary goddesses.
   [1913 Webster]

         This, of all advantages, is the greatest . . . the most
         tutelary of morals.                      --Landor.
   [1913 Webster]