Etymology

bearleader

bear·lead·er
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Today it means: Someone who handles and keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments such as bearbaiting or dancing displays; a bearward. Full definition →

First used 16th c.
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The story

From bear + leader.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. Someone who handles and keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments such as bearbaiting or dancing displays; a bearward.
  • from 18th c. Someone acting as a chaperone and tutor to a wealthy young man travelling abroad, especially in Europe.
  • late 18th c. A captor; also, a guard, a jailer.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.