usher

1 of 2

noun

ush·​er ˈə-shər 

1

a

: an officer or servant who has the care of the door of a court, hall, or chamber

b

: an officer who walks before a person of rank

c

: one who escorts persons to their seats (as in a theater)

2

archaic : an assistant teacher

usher

2 of 2

verb

ushered; ushering ˈə-sh(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to conduct to a place

2

: to precede as an usher, forerunner, or harbinger

3

: to cause to enter : introduce

a new theory ushered into the world

intransitive verb

: to serve as an usher

usher at a wedding

Synonyms

Verb

• conduct
• direct
• guide
• lead
• marshal
• marshall
• pilot
• route
• show
• steer

Examples of usher in a Sentence

Verb

He ushered them to their seats.

A nurse ushered us into the hospital room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In it, the White House chief usher and other residence staff appeared before a Senate committee as part of an investigation into former president Bill Clinton circa the 1990s. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2024

Rays personnel will staff their box office on game days, with ushers and ticket takers made up of a mix of GMS Field employees and Rays staff. —Chris Kirschner, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024

Verb

After a fight had broken out an hour earlier, workers were shutting down the restaurant and ushering out patrons, when shots suddenly rang out from the passing black car. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 21 Dec. 2024

Sara writes that the pic’s broad appeal marks a critical inflection point for Hong Kong’s martial arts cinema – invoking reflection on its golden bygone age, yet also ushering hope that a new wave might be just around the corner. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ussher, from Anglo-French ussier, usscher, from Vulgar Latin *ustiarius doorkeeper, from Latin ostium, ustium door, mouth of a river — more at ostium

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing usher

• usher in

Kids Definition

usher

1 of 2 noun

ush·​er ˈəsh-ər 

: a person who leads other persons to seats (as in a theater or at a wedding)

usher

2 of 2 verb

ushered; ushering ˈəsh-(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to lead to a place

2

: to cause to enter : introduce

usher in a new era