The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Protect \Pro*tect"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Protected; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Protecting.] [L. protectus, p. p. of protegere,
   literally, to cover in front; pro before + tegere to cover.
   See Tegument.]
   To cover or shield from danger or injury; to defend; to
   guard; to preserve in safety; as, a father protects his
   children.
   [1913 Webster]

         The gods of Greece protect you!          --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To guard; shield; preserve. See Defend.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

protected
    adj 1: kept safe or defended from danger or injury or loss; "the
           most protected spot I could find" [ant: unprotected]
    2: guarded from injury or destruction [syn: protected,
       saved]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

34 Moby Thesaurus words for "protected":
   armed, cloaked, conserved, copyrighted, covered, defended, guarded,
   immune, immunized, insured, intact, invulnerable, kept, patented,
   policed, preserved, safe, safe and sound, safeguarded, saved,
   screened, secure, sheltered, shielded, spared, undamaged, unharmed,
   unhurt, unscathed, unspoiled, untainted, unthreatened, untouched,
   well-conserved