Meaning & use
Switzers
Last updated
An archaic term for Swiss people, especially Swiss mercenary soldiers historically employed by European courts.
See it in a sentence
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the king calls for his Switzers to guard the door.
Switzers served as elite guards in several European royal courts for centuries.
A note on using this word
This archaic usage survives today mainly in the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which still protects the Pope at the Vatican.
Words with a similar meaning
Swiss guards
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