escort

American  

[es-kawrt, ih-skawrt] / ˈɛs kɔrt, ɪˈskɔrt /

noun

escorts plural

1. a group of persons, or a single person, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, or courtesy.

   An escort of sailors accompanied the queen.

2. an armed guard, as a body of soldiers or ships.

   The president traveled with a large escort of motorcycle police.

3. a man or boy who accompanies a woman or girl in public, as to a social event.

4. a person, especially a woman female escort, but sometimes a man male escort, who is paid to go on a date with a client, and usually to engage in sex acts for money.

5. protection, safeguard, or guidance on a journey.

   to travel without escort.

   Synonyms:

   convoy

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verb (used with object)

escorts, present (3rd person singular) escorted, past participle, past escorting present participle

1. to attend or accompany as an escort.

   Synonyms:

   guide, take, chaperone, squire, usher, conduct

escort British  

noun

1. one or more persons, soldiers, vehicles, etc, accompanying another or others for protection, guidance, restraint, or as a mark of honour

2. a man or youth who accompanies a woman or girl

   he was her escort for the evening

3. 1. a person, esp a young woman, who may be hired to accompany another for entertainment, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      an escort agency

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verb

1. (tr) to accompany or attend as an escort

Synonym Usage

See accompany.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unescorted
  adjective
• well-escorted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• escorts
  plural

Participles

• escorting
  present
• escorted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• escort
  simple
• escorts
  simple
• have escorted
  perfect
• has escorted
  perfect
• am escorting
  progressive
• are escorting
  progressive
• is escorting
  progressive
• have been escorting
  perfect progressive
• has been escorting
  perfect progressive

Past

• escorted
  simple
• had escorted
  perfect
• was escorting
  progressive
• were escorting
  progressive
• had been escorting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will escort
  simple
• will have escorted
  perfect
• will be escorting
  progressive
• will have been escorting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of escort

First recorded in 1570–80; from French, from Italian scorta, derivative of scorgere “to conduct, guide,” from Vulgar Latin excorrigere (unrecorded); see ex- ¹, correct

Explanation

When you go somewhere, whether it's for fun or business, it's always nice to have an escort — someone to go along with you. Some escorts are there to protect you, some just to share a good time. The word escort can be a noun or a verb — "your escort escorts you." This word is derived from the Latin excorrigere, "to set out," and moved through the Italian scorgere, meaning "to guide." In the 1570s it took on a military tone as escorte, used to describe armed protectors for travelers. In the 19th century it came to mean "accompanying a person on social occasions," although we still refer to military escorts today.

Example Sentences

It can deploy drones, hunt submarines, detect mines and escort other vessels.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

The officers remove Strickland and began to escort him out of the event.

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026

According to Britain and France, the warships could also escort some 2,000 tankers and cargo ships waiting to transit out of the Gulf.

From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026

Under police escort, the protesters headed towards the flyover leading to Queens Drive before being diverted through a church yard into residential streets around Goodison Park stadium.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

“I came to offer myself as escort to your mother. Mr. Laurence has commissions for me in Washington, and it will give me real satisfaction to be of service to her there.”

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Related Words

• accompany
• bring
• carry
• drag
• guide
• protect
• steer
• usher