usher

¹

[ uhsh-er ]

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.
3. a male attendant of a bridegroom at a wedding.
4. an officer whose business it is to introduce strangers or to walk before a person of rank.
5. 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.

Usher

²

[ uhsh-er ]

noun

1. James. Ussher, James.

usher

¹

/ 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
3. (in England) a minor official charged with maintaining order in a court of law
4. an officer responsible for preceding persons of rank in a procession or introducing strangers at formal functions
5. obsolete.
   a teacher

verb

1. to conduct or escort, esp in a courteous or obsequious way
2. usually foll by in to be a precursor or herald (of)

Usher

²

/ ˈʌʃə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of (James) Ussher

Other Words From

• usher·ship noun
• under·usher noun
• un·ushered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of usher¹

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; -er ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of usher¹

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

Example Sentences

The first signs of trouble emerged just months after Leo was born, when video of Palmer dancing onstage with Usher during the performer’s Las Vegas residency surfaced online.

From Los Angeles Times

Other artists who have recently joined the Democratic nominee include Usher and Lizzo.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Combs had founded Bad Boy Records in 1993, a label that represented some of the biggest names in hip hop - including artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher.

From BBC

Video footage played to the court showed a masked Usher holding a phone in one hand with a can of lager in the other.

From BBC

Three days out from the vote, independence supporters gathered in the Usher Hall in Glasgow to be serenaded by some of the cause's celebrity backers - including Frightened Rabbit, Amy MacDonald, Mogwai and Franz Ferdinand.

From BBC

Related Words

• escort
• initiate
• precede
• steer