intended or adapted to afford protection of some kind; "a protective covering"; "the use of protective masks and equipment"; "protective coatings"; "kept the drunken sailor in protective custody"; "animals with protective coloring"; "protective tariffs"
providing protective supervision; watching over or safeguarding; "daycare that is educational and not just custodial"; "a guardian angel"; "tutelary gods"
the position on a baseball team of the player who is stationed behind home plate and who catches the balls that the pitcher throws; "a catcher needs a lot of protective equipment"; "a catcher plays behind the plate"
(baseball) the person who plays the position of catcher