usher

[ uhsh-er ]
See synonyms for usher on Thesaurus.com
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.

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

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

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

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 by in): to usher in the new theater season.

verb (used without object)
  1. to act as an usher: He ushered at the banquet.

Origin of usher

1
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 -er2

Other words from usher

  • ush·er·ship, noun
  • un·der·ush·er, noun
  • un·ush·ered, adjective

Words Nearby usher

Other definitions for Usher (2 of 2)

Usher
[ uhsh-er ]

noun
  1. James. Ussher, James.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use usher in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for usher (1 of 2)

usher

/ (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

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

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

  3. British obsolete a teacher

verb(tr)
  1. to conduct or escort, esp in a courteous or obsequious way

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

Origin of usher

1
C14: from Old French huissier doorkeeper, from Vulgar Latin ustiārius (unattested), from Latin ostium door

British Dictionary definitions for Usher (2 of 2)

Usher

/ (ˈʌʃə) /


noun
  1. a variant spelling of (James) Ussher

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012