noun
chaperone
SHA-puh-rohn
Chaperone (noun) means an adult who accompanies and supervises younger people at a social event, to make sure things stay appropriate. Example: “Her mother acted as chaperone on the school field trip.”
noun
1
An adult who accompanies and supervises younger people at a social event, to make sure things stay appropriate.
"Her mother acted as chaperone on the school field trip."
"The prom had several teacher chaperones keeping an eye on things."
2
In biology, a protein that helps other molecules fold correctly without becoming part of the final structure itself.
"Heat-shock proteins act as chaperones, helping damaged proteins refold."
verb
1
To supervise and accompany someone, typically at an event.
"Two parents volunteered to chaperone the overnight trip."
How to use chaperone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo supervise young people at a social event, or the person doing the supervising; also a helper protein in biology.
Common pairings
act as chaperone
chaperone a dance
molecular chaperone
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Word forms
- Plural
- chaperones
- Third person singular
- chaperones
- Past tense
- chaperoned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her mother acted as _____ on the school field trip.
Etymology
The now-standard spelling of chaperon, from French chaperon ("hood").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for chaperone
See all rhymes for chaperone →Frequently asked questions
What does “chaperone” mean?
The word “chaperone” means an adult who accompanies and supervises younger people at a social event, to make sure things stay appropriate. In plain terms, to supervise young people at a social event, or the person doing the supervising; also a helper protein in biology.
How do you pronounce “chaperone”?
“Chaperone” is pronounced SHA-puh-rohn (/ˈʃæ.pəˌɹoʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “chaperone” in a sentence?
Here is “chaperone” used in a sentence: “Her mother acted as chaperone on the school field trip.”
What part of speech is “chaperone”?
Depending on how it is used, “chaperone” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “chaperone” come from?
The word “chaperone” comes from French. The now-standard spelling of chaperon, from French chaperon ("hood").
How many meanings does “chaperone” have?
“Chaperone” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an adult who accompanies and supervises younger people at a social event, to make sure things stay appropriate.
