porch

American  

[pawrch, pohrch] / pɔrtʃ, poʊrtʃ /

noun

1. an exterior appendage to a building, forming a covered approach or vestibule to a doorway.

2. a veranda.

3. the Porch, the portico or stoa in the agora of ancient Athens, where the Stoic philosopher Zeno of Citium and his followers met.

4. Obsolete. a portico.

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porch British  

/ pɔːtʃ /

noun

1. a low structure projecting from the doorway of a house and forming a covered entrance

2. an exterior roofed gallery, often partly enclosed; veranda

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Other Word Forms

• porchless adjective
• porchlike adjective
• underporch noun

Etymology

Origin of porch

1250–1300; Middle English porche < Old French < Latin porticus porch, portico

Example Sentences

A covered porch houses a sizable grill for outdoor meal preparation.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

After Heuermann was jailed, his wife and two children stayed in the house, even grilling on the front porch despite gawkers on the front lawn.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

I tried doing this, but I mostly just felt confused and tired under the sun on my front porch, waiting for the Earth to work on me.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

To convert the porch into a sunroom and sports-watching lounge, they hired Los Angeles interior designer Parrish Cameron Robe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

Then he sat down on the porch, buried his face in his arms, and laughed.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• balcony
• deck
• portico
• stoop
• veranda