chaperón

Chaperón is a Spanish noun with two principal senses. The most common meaning is a chaperón in the sense of a person who accompanies and supervises another person, especially young women, in social settings to safeguard propriety and safety. A chaperón may be a family member, teacher, or appointed guardian who accompanies on events such as dances, school trips, receptions, or other outings to ensure appropriate conduct. The feminine form is chaperona. The term is cognate with the French chaperon and the English chaperone.

In historical fashion, chaperón also refers to a headdress: a hood or cap that covered the head or hair as part of certain outfits, mainly in medieval and early modern Europe. The garment sense describes a hood, sometimes attached to a mantle or cloak, and may be lined with fur or trimmed for ceremonial attire. This sense is mostly encountered in historical texts or stylistic descriptions and is not common in everyday modern usage.

Etymology: the word derives from the French chaperon, meaning hood, which in origin referred to a hooded head covering and—by extension—someone who accompanies another. Usage: in contemporary Spanish, chaperón most often means the supervising adult, while the garment sense remains primarily historical or literary.