portable

[ pawr-tuh-buhl, pohr- ]
See synonyms for: portableportables on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. capable of being transported or conveyed: a portable stage.

  2. easily carried or conveyed by hand: I found a lightweight, portable propane stove for our trekking holiday.

  1. Computers. (of data sets, software, etc.) capable of being used on different computer systems.

  2. Obsolete. endurable.

noun
  1. something that is easily carried by hand, especially as distinguished from a counterpart that is harder or less convenient to move: Of their three television sets, one is a portable.

Origin of portable

1
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin portābilis; see port5, -able

Other words from portable

  • port·a·bly, adverb
  • non·port·a·ble, adjective
  • un·port·a·ble, adjective

Words that may be confused with portable

Words Nearby portable

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use portable in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for portable

portable

/ (ˈpɔːtəbəl) /


adjective
  1. able to be carried or moved easily, esp by hand

  2. (of software, files, etc) able to be transferred from one type of computer system to another

  1. archaic able to be endured; bearable

noun
  1. an article designed to be readily carried by hand, such as a television, typewriter, etc

Origin of portable

1
C14: from Late Latin portābilis, from Latin portāre to carry

Derived forms of portable

  • portability, noun
  • portably, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012