The term usher was introduced into the English language in 1386, spelled as ussher. Its origins can be traced back to the Old French word ussier, which meant “porter” or “doorman” – similar to its modern-day usage. This word stems from Vulgar Latin ustiarius and Latin ostiarus, both meaning “doorman”. The root of ostiarus is ostium, which translates to “door”, ultimately descending from the Proto-Indo-European term os, signifying “mouth” (as both are entrances or openings of sorts). Os also contributed to other words like oral, Oslo (meaning “river mouth” in Old Norse), oscitant, orifice, orator, and various other terms related to gaps and mouths. Literary usage of the term usher peaked in the 1500s according to Google NGrams and has since seen a decline.
