escort

[es-kawrt, ih-skawrt]

noun

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

verb (used with object)

1. to attend or accompany as an escort.

   Synonyms: guide, take, chaperone, squire, usher, conduct

escort

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

verb

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

Other Word Forms

• unescorted adjective
• well-escorted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of escort¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of escort¹

C16: from French escorte, from Italian scorta, from scorgere to guide, from Latin corrigere to straighten; see _correct

Synonym Study

See accompany.

Example Sentences

Another video shared on social media showed the woman being escorted from the courthouse.

From BBC

On Thursday morning, he was seen being escorted from the plane he arrived in by Moldovan police and Interpol officials.

From BBC

The White House posted a clip on X showing handcuffed people being escorted by ICE on to a GlobalX flight.

From BBC

They keep their heads down as police escort them through.

From BBC

He had lost his pack and seemed incoherent when the scouts found him and escorted him to safety.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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