portal

¹ American  

[pawr-tl, pohr-] / ˈpɔr tl, ˈpoʊr- /

noun

1. a door, gate, or entrance, especially one of imposing appearance, as to a palace.

   Synonyms:

   threshold, entry, doorway, entranceway

2. an iron or steel bent for bracing a framed structure, having curved braces between the vertical members and a horizontal member at the top.

3. an entrance to a tunnel or mine.

4. Computers. a website that functions as an entry point to the internet, as by providing useful content and linking to various sites and features on the World Wide Web.

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portal ² American  

[pawr-tl, pohr-] / ˈpɔr tl, ˈpoʊr- /

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to the transverse fissure of the liver.

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noun

1. portal vein.

portal British  

/ ˈpɔːtəl /

noun

1. an entrance, gateway, or doorway, esp one that is large and impressive

2. any entrance or access to a place

3. computing an internet site providing links to other sites

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adjective

1. anatomy

   1. of or relating to a portal vein

      hepatic portal system

   2. of or relating to a porta

portal Cultural  

1. A Web site that provides a gateway to other Web sites.

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Other Word Forms

• portaled
  adjective
• portalled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of portal¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English portale, from Medieval Latin, noun use of neuter of portālis “of a gate.” See portal ²

Origin of portal²

First recorded in 1605–15, portal is from the Medieval Latin word portālis of a gate. See port ⁴, -al ¹

Explanation

A portal is a large and imposing gate or doorway. You’re likely to find a portal in a castle, in a cathedral, or even on an internet site. Portal can be used to describe other types of doorways, both literal and metaphorical. For example, portal can refer to a web page that provides access to other sites on the web. If you enjoy reading science fiction or fantasy, you may be familiar with the use of the word portal to mean “a doorway to another world.” The wardrobe in C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe functions as a portal to the land of Narnia.

Example Sentences

In Miami’s El Portal neighborhood, Neumann and his wife Rebekah caused a stir with their school, SOLFL.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Only around a third of Angus’s 404 owners have plied their tokenized shares of the animal into the artists’ online Remorse Portal, signifying their wish to save his life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

The theater was designed by architect Lewis Arthur Smith, known for other local theaters like the Vista in Los Feliz and El Portal in North Hollywood.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

According to the NWS Probabilistic Precipitation Portal, the regions that could see more than a foot of snow stretch from Colorado to West Virginia to Boston.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Most walkers walked to the left down Portal Avenue toward some of the other neighborhoods, but to the right—up Portal Ave.—is where Chestnut Homes were.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds