escort

1 of 2

noun

es·​cort ˈe-ˌskȯrt 

plural escorts

1

a(1)

: a person or group of persons accompanying another to give protection, provide supervision, or as a courtesy

a police escort

Visitors are not allowed to enter the building without an escort.

(2)

: a man who goes with a woman to a social event

(3)

: a person and especially a sex worker who is hired to go with someone to a social event

—often used before another noun

an escort service/agency

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 (such as a ship)

escort

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verb

es·​cort i-ˈskȯrt 

e-, 

ˈe-ˌskȯrt 

escorted; escorting; escorts

transitive verb

: to accompany as an escort

Synonyms of escort

Noun

• guide
• guard
• attendant
• companion

Verb

• accompany

Examples of escort in a Sentence

Noun

Visitors are not allowed to enter the building without an escort.

The bombers were protected by a fighter escort.

Everyone was surprised when she arrived at the party without an escort.

Verb

Several fighters escorted the bombers back to base.

a student from the college escorted my parents and me on our tour of the campus

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Russian drone launch took place while the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its escort ships were nearby during a visit to Sweden. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026

While the flagship departs, French mine countermeasure and escort vessels will remain in the region. — Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Verb

Mourners holding portraits of the late supreme leader welcomed the body and senior officials escorting it, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. — ABC News, 8 July 2026

Charles, who was then prince, escorted Meghan down the aisle amid tensions with her father, Thomas Markle, who was also in bad health at the time. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1708, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing escort

• destroyer escort

Rhymes for escort

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• disport
• distort
• exhort
• extort

Kids Definition

escort

1 of 2 noun

es·​cort ˈes-ˌkȯ(ə)rt 

1

: a person or group of persons accompanying another to give protection or show courtesy

2

: the man who goes on a date with a woman

3

: a protective screen of vehicles, warships, or planes

motorcycle escort

fighter escort

escort

2 of 2 verb

es·​cort is-ˈkȯ(ə)rt  es-ˈ 

ˈes-ˌ

: to go along with as an escort