n.
Pronunciation: ' es- ˌ ko ̇ rt
Function: noun
Etymology: 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
Date: 1579
1 a (1) : a person or group of persons accompanying another to give protection or as a courtesy (2) : the man who goes on a date with a woman 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 (as a ship)