escort

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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 bomber could potentially conduct electronic attacks alongside its existing weapons operations, reducing its dependence on specialized escort aircraft in certain scenarios. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026

Two off-duty cops hired as escorts lost sight of the trailer after an unmarked sedan struck their car and forced the cops to stop as the trailer drove on. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026

Verb

In Hungary, the defense minister said fighter jets escorted three passenger planes Friday through the country's airspace within an hour after each received a bomb threat. — Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026

Ten minutes later, my driver dropped me off at PS’s sleek new 12,200-square-foot private terminal at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where I was greeted by caviar and Champagne and escorted to my own private suite. — Lauren Harano, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 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