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• usher
  usher

  noun

  a person who escorts people to seats in a theater, church, etc.
• Usher
  Usher

  noun

  James. Ussher, James.

usher

¹ American  

[uhsh-er] / ˈʌʃ ər /

noun

1. a person who escorts people to seats in a theater, church, etc.

2. a person acting as an official doorkeeper, as in a courtroom or legislative chamber.

3. a male attendant of a bridegroom at a wedding.

4. an officer whose business it is to introduce strangers or to walk before a person of rank.

5. British Archaic. a subordinate teacher or an assistant in a school.

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verb (used with object)

1. to act as an usher to; lead, introduce, or conduct.

   She ushered them to their seats.

2. to attend or bring at the coming or beginning; precede or herald (usually followed byin ).

   to usher in the new theater season.

verb (used without object)

1. to act as an usher.

   He ushered at the banquet.

Usher ² American  

[uhsh-er] / ˈʌʃ ər /

noun

1. James. Ussher, James.

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usher ¹ British  

/ ˈʌʃə /

noun

1. an official who shows people to their seats, as in a church or theatre

2. a person who acts as doorkeeper, esp in a court of law

3. (in England) a minor official charged with maintaining order in a court of law

4. an officer responsible for preceding persons of rank in a procession or introducing strangers at formal functions

5. obsolete a teacher

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verb

1. to conduct or escort, esp in a courteous or obsequious way

2. (usually foll by in) to be a precursor or herald (of)

Usher ² British  

/ ˈʌʃə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of (James) Ussher

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Other Word Forms

• underusher
  noun
• unushered
  adjective
• ushership
  noun

Etymology

Origin of usher

1350–1400; Middle English uscher doorkeeper < Anglo-French usser, Old French ( h ) uissier doorman, officer of justice < Vulgar Latin *ustiārius, equivalent to Latin ōsti ( um ) door + -ārius -ary; see -er ²

Explanation

That guy who guided you to your seat? He's called an usher. You most often see ushers at movie theaters and weddings. An usher is someone with the job of helping people find their seats. At the movies, ushers take your tickets and tell you where to go. At some theaters and sports venues, the ushers might actually take you to your seat — they usher you there. If you're an usher in a wedding party, it's your job to walk guests down the aisle and to their seats. The doorkeeper at a courtroom or legislative chamber is called an usher, too.

Example Sentences

The Brookmans’ holiday home goes from being a pretty cottage to a “ghastly pile” to “the sort of grim, four-square, red-brick Victorian house you could imagine Roderick Usher living in.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

He says he’s discussing collaborations with Chris Brown and with Usher.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

It was the next best thing to experiencing their 90s heyday first-hand, Usher says.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

Flores intercut Bieber singing to the camera with footage of fans, behind-the-scenes chats with Usher and numerous angles of Bieber’s signature look — the swoop that inspired hair flips round the world.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2025

“Hesterfowl, I am an Usher of wandering souls. A servant to the Afterlife. I do not need all this”—he gestured—“to believe you have a gift.”

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• escort
• initiate
• precede
• steer