# Tell me about the root "empt"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-root-empt/494812>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 30, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-root-empt/494812 "2009-04-30T03:36:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-root-empt/494812/21 "2009-04-30T18:04:06Z")

</div>

Actually, here’s the etymology from [Etymology On Line](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=usher&searchmode=none):

> [@](#):
>
> usher (n.)  
> c.1380, “servant who has charge of doors and admits people to a chamber, hall, etc.,” from Anglo-Fr. usser (12c.), from [O.Fr](http://O.Fr). ussier, from V.L. ustiarius “doorkeeper,” from L. ostiarius “door-keeper,” from ostium “door, entrance,” related to os “mouth.” Fem. form usherette is attested from 1925. The verb meaning “conduct, escort” is from 1594.

It continues to have a cognate in modern French, “huissier”, which is a court official similar to a court bailiff. There is also the phrase “huis clos” meaning an in camera court hearing (“closed door”).

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-the-root-empt/494812.md?page=1)