Main Entry: ¹es·cort

Pronunciation: \ˈes-ˌkȯrt\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle French escorte, from Italian scorta, from scorgere to guide, from Vulgar Latin *excorrigere, from Latin ex- + corrigere to make straight, correct — more at correct

Date: 1579

1 a (1) : a person or group of persons accompanying another to give protection or as a courtesy (2) : the man who goes on a date with a woman b : a protective screen of warships or fighter planes or a single ship or plane used to fend off enemy attack from one or more vulnerable craft
2 : accompaniment by a person or an armed protector (as a ship)