usher

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

usher^¹

/ˈʌʃəɹ/
[ˈʌʃ.ə(ɹ)] UK
[ˈʌʃ.ɚ] Canada, US
[ˈɐʃ.ə(ɹ)] Australia, New Zealand

Rhymes with -ʌʃə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Middle English ussher, uscher, usscher, from Anglo-Norman usser and Old French ussier, uissier (“porter, doorman”) (compare French huissier), from Vulgar Latin *ustiārius (“doorkeeper”), from Latin ōstiārius, from ōstium (“door”). Akin to ōs (“mouth”). Probably a doublet of ostiary and huissier.

noun ushers · huisher

A person, in a church, cinema etc., who escorts people to their seats.
A male escort at a wedding.
Similar: bridesman, groomsman
A doorkeeper in a courtroom.
obsolete An assistant to a head teacher or schoolteacher; an assistant teacher. [H]e defrayed the expence of his entrance, and left him in the particular care and inspection of the usher, who […] though obliged by the scandalous administration of fortune to act in the character of an inferior teacher, had by his sole capacity and application, brought the school to that degree o
dated, derogatory Any schoolteacher.

verb ushers · ushering · ushered · huisher · husher

transitive To guide people to their seats. Her entrance into church on Sunday is always the signal for a little bustle in the side aisle, occasioned by a general rise among the poor people, who bow and curtsey until the pew-opener has ushered the old lady into her accustomed seat, dropped a respectful curtsey, and shut the door;
transitive To accompany or escort (someone). [N]ay he can ſing / A meane moſt meanely, and in huſhering, / Mende him who can[.]
figuratively, transitive To precede; to act as a forerunner or herald. Thus the Harvard poets and wits ushered The New England Courant out of existence.
figuratively, transitive To lead or guide somewhere. McCoist unexpectedly ushered back a defender of his own with Kirk Broadfoot taking over from Steven Whittaker. There was, of course, another change, Kyle Bartley stepping in at centre-half to replace suspended Dorin Goian.

Usher^²

proper noun Ushers

countable, uncountable A surname originating as an occupation for an usher.
countable, uncountable A suburb of Bunbury, Western Australia.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: guide, doorkeeper, show, assistant, escort, gentleman, marshal, bailiff, officer, herald, inaugurate, initiate, introduce, doorman, enter, writ

Translations

Every language

noun person who escorts people to their seats

Español	acomodador, acomodadora, ujier, usier
日本語	案内人 annainin
中文	引座员
Português	lanterninha, arrumador
Français	ouvreur
Deutsch	Platzanweiser
Italiano	maschera
Ελληνικά	ταξιθέτης taxithétis
Română	aprod, plasator
Русский	капельдинер kapelʹdiner

noun male escort at a wedding

中文	伴郎 bànláng
Français	escorte, garçon d'honneur
Italiano	cerimoniere
Русский	ша́фер šáfer

noun doorkeeper in a courtroom

Español	ujier, ordenanza, portero de estrados, bedel, usier
Français	huissier
Deutsch	Gerichtsdiener
Italiano	usciere, messo
Română	aprod, ușier
Русский	пристав pristav

verb to guide people to their seats

Español	acomodar
Deutsch	zuweisen, anweisen, führen
Italiano	accompagnare, guidare
Română	plasa
Русский	провожать provožatʹ

verb to accompany or escort

Español	acompañar, escoltar
Français	escorter
Deutsch	begleiten, Gesellschaft leisten
Italiano	scortare, introdurre
Русский	сопровожда́ть soprovoždátʹ

verb to precede; to act as a forerunner or herald

Español	preceder, anunciar, iniciar, preludiar
Deutsch	vorausgehen
Italiano	precedere, precorrere
Русский	возвещать vozveščatʹ

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"usher." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/usher. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

usher. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/usher

Chicago

"usher." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/usher.

BibTeX

@misc{usher_2026,
  title = {usher},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/usher},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}