tour guide

Meaning

A person who shows tourists around a city, museum, or historical site and shares interesting information about it. They help visitors navigate new places and ensure they have an educational and safe experience.

Examples

• Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Rome.

  Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Rome.

• We tipped the tour guide after a wonderful three-hour walking tour.

  We tipped the tour guide after a wonderful three-hour walking tour.

• The museum tour guide explained the meaning behind the famous painting.

  The museum tour guide explained the meaning behind the famous painting.

• I'm looking for a local tour guide who speaks fluent English.

  I'm looking for a local tour guide who speaks fluent English.

• Without a tour guide, we would have missed the most interesting parts of the ancient ruins.

  Without a tour guide, we would have missed the most interesting parts of the ancient ruins.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The tourist guide showed us the castle.

  ✓ The tour guide showed us the castle.

  Although 'tourist guide' is sometimes understood, 'tour guide' is the much more common and natural term used by native speakers.

• ✗ We hired a guide of tour for our trip.

  ✓ We hired a tour guide for our trip.

  In English, 'tour' acts as a noun adjunct modifying 'guide', so it must come directly before 'guide'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The ___ told us several funny stories about the city's founders.

  💡 A person who leads tourists and explains historical facts.

  Show answer

  tour guide

• We followed our ___ through the crowded streets of the old town.

  💡 The person leading a group of sightseers.

  Show answer

  tour guide