Outriders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group or individuals who scout ahead to ensure safe passage for a larger convoy
2. People who ride in front of or alongside a main procession to provide escort and protection
3. Individuals accompanying a vehicle or group, often tasked with reconnaissance or security duties

Etymology: "Outriders" is the plural of "outrider," a noun that comes to English from Middle English "outridere." The word is built from "out" and "ride," so its literal sense is someone who rides out, away from the main party, to scout ahead or guard the flanks of a journey. Over the centuries the term kept that sense of riders travelling at the edge or in front of a procession. Today it most often describes the motorcycle escorts who run ahead of a royal or official motorcade, which is the same idea carried into a new age of transport.

Synonyms: escorts, guards