Chaperone

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈʃæ.pəˌɹoʊn/

Definitions

1. An individual responsible for monitoring and guiding others, especially young people, in various social situations or events
2. A person designated to oversee the behavior and welfare of a group, particularly during outings or events
3. A supervising person who accompanies and watches over young people at social gatherings ; a protein molecule that assists in the proper folding of other proteins to ensure correct structure and function

Etymology: "Chaperone" is the English form of "chaperon," and the two spellings have the same history. The word came into English from French, where "chaperon" meant a hood, and the hood was the original object. Medieval French "chaperon" derived from "chape," a cape or cloak, the same root that gave English "cape" and "cap." Hoods were worn by both men and women in the period, and the cloth covering the head and shoulders is the literal sense from which the modern meaning grew. The shift from garment to guardian is the surprising step. Over time, "chaperon" came to mean the person who wore or carried the hood-like covering, and then a figure who accompanied and watched over a young woman in public. By the time English adopted the word, its primary sense was the supervising escort, a meaning it still carries. The spelling "chaperone" with the final "e" reflects the later English habit of marking the vowel, and it became the standard form.

Synonyms: escort, supervisor, guardian, protector, watcher

Antonyms: neglect, abandon, desert, ignore, leave