chaperone

1 of 2

noun

chap·​er·​one ˈsha-pə-ˌrōn How to pronounce chaperone (audio)
variants or less commonly chaperon
1
: a person (such as a matron) who for propriety (see propriety sense 2) accompanies one or more young unmarried women in public or in mixed company
2
: an older person who accompanies young people at a social gathering to ensure proper behavior
broadly : one delegated to ensure proper behavior
I was a chaperone on one of my son's class trips.
3
: any of a class of proteins (such as heat shock proteins) that facilitate the proper folding of proteins by binding to and stabilizing unfolded or partially folded proteins

called also molecular chaperone

chaperone

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly chaperon
chaperoned; chaperoning

transitive verb

1
: escort
2
: to act as chaperone to or for
chaperone a dance
chaperoning teenagers

intransitive verb

: to act as a chaperone
Two parents chaperoned at the school dance.
chaperonage noun

Examples of chaperone in a Sentence

Noun I was a chaperone on one of my son's school trips. Verb Two parents chaperoned the children. My mom always chaperoned the school dances.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Students from Tuscarawas Valley were traveling with chaperones to the Ohio School Boards Association conference, which was being held about 100 miles west in Columbus, according to Derek Varansky, the superintendent of the Tuscarawas Valley School District. CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023 Meanwhile, several amusement parks with chaperone policies are generally requiring teens 15 years old or younger to be accompanied with adult chaperones after 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. every day. Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 29 May 2023 But on the morning of May 30, 2005 — the final day of the trip — Beth received a phone call from one of the seven adult chaperones. Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 18 Oct. 2023 Just keep in mind that this attraction is not for the faint of heart: No one under 16 is allowed without a chaperone; however, per the website, it’s highly recommended that those under 12 sit this one out. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2023 Adult chaperones must present a valid ID upon entry starting at 5 p.m. Minors and chaperones are not required to remain together once inside the fairgrounds. Tommy Cummings, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023 One of the two people killed in a New York bus crash Thursday was a former longtime teacher who continued to volunteer as a band camp chaperone 17 years after her retirement. Emilie Ikeda, NBC News, 22 Sep. 2023 The app also includes selfie verification, religious filters, and a chaperone option (known as Wali) in your conversations for extra peace of mind. Tianna Soto, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2023 Ferrari taught history at Farmingdale High School for more than 30 years and continued to chaperone band trips for years, Newsday reported. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023
Verb
More:New Indiana State Fair policy requires youth under 18 to be chaperoned after 6 p.m. Some reserved-viewing tickets will be sold later in the summer through indianastatefair.com. Indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis Star, 21 June 2023 On arrival, she is chaperoned by a cynical uncle (Nagase) to uncover the mystery of her strange dreams and her mother’s disappearance years ago. Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Sep. 2023 So when mom decided to retire, Gina asked her to come back and chaperone the band camp trips. Holly Yan, CNN, 22 Sep. 2023 More:New Indiana State Fair policy requires youth under 18 to be chaperoned after 6 p.m. John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 2 June 2023 In tandem with the aforementioned stranger, Beatrice Steele eagerly sets out to reveal the killer, chaperoned by a female playwright whose voluminous hats hold many surprises. Alida Becker, New York Times, 28 July 2023 The main story concerns the relationship — if that’s even the right word, in a tale in which everyone seems to be merely going through the motions — between Augie and Midge, who are chaperoning their respective kids (Jake Ryan and Grace Edwards) at the space camp. Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 20 June 2023 State Fair curfew:New Indiana State Fair policy requires youth under 18 to be chaperoned after 6 p.m. How to enter the mullet contest To be considered, anyone interested in competing has to submit an application here. Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 27 June 2023 So Cecilia would ride her bicycle into the lab chaperoned and in a full-length dress and hat as was expected for a woman to be seen in town. Lucy Evans, Scientific American, 22 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chaperone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

French chaperon, literally, hood, from Middle French, head covering, from chape

First Known Use

Noun

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1802, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chaperone was in 1720

Dictionary Entries Near chaperone

Cite this Entry

“Chaperone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaperone. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

chaperone

1 of 2 noun
chap·​er·​one
variants or chaperon
: a person who goes with and is responsible for a young woman or a group of young people (as at a dance)

chaperone

2 of 2 verb
variants or chaperon
chaperoned; chaperoning
: to act or go with as a chaperone
Etymology

Noun

from French chaperon "chaperone," literally, "hood," derived from early French chape "cape," from Latin cappa "head covering, cloak" — related to cape entry 2, chapel

Medical Definition

chaperone

noun
chap·​er·​one ˈshap-ə-ˌrōn How to pronounce chaperone (audio)
variants or chaperone protein
: any of a class of proteins (such as heat shock proteins and chaperonins) that facilitate the proper folding of proteins by binding to and stabilizing unfolded or partially folded proteins
As the proteins are produced, molecules called chaperones fold them into the three-dimensional form they are supposed to take.Andres M. Lozano et al., Scientific American,

called also molecular chaperone

More from Merriam-Webster on chaperone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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