sentry

• centry, sentrie, sentery (all obsolete)

From earlier sentrie, sentery, of uncertain origin. Perhaps an alteration of sentinel or sanctuary; or perhaps from Old French senteret (“a path”), diminutive of sentier, from Medieval Latin semitarius (“a path”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛntɹɪ/
• (General American, Canada) enPR: sĕnʹtrē, IPA^(key): /ˈsɛntɹi/
• Rhymes: -ɛntɹi
• Hyphenation: sen‧try

sentry (plural sentries)

1. A guard, particularly on duty at the entrance to a military base.
2. (uncountable) Sentry duty; time spent being a sentry.
3. (nautical) A form of drag to be towed underwater, which on striking bottom is upset and rises to the surface.
4. A watchtower.

• (nautical drag): kite

• sentinel

• Tyners