Jump to:

• port
  port

  noun

  a city, town, or other place where ships load or unload.
• Port.
  Port.

  abbreviation

  Portugal.

port

¹ American  

[pawrt, pohrt] / pɔrt, poʊrt /

noun

1. a city, town, or other place where ships load or unload.

2. a place along a coast in which ships may take refuge from storms; harbor.

   Synonyms:

   anchorage

3. Also called port of entry.  Law. any place where persons and merchandise are allowed to pass, by water or land, into and out of a country and where customs officers are stationed to inspect or appraise imported goods.

4. a geographical area that forms a harbor.

   the largest port on the eastern seaboard.

5. Informal. an airport.

---

port ² American  

[pawrt, pohrt] / pɔrt, poʊrt /

noun

1. the left-hand side of a vessel or aircraft, facing forward.

---

adjective

1. pertaining to or designating port.

2. located on the left side of a vessel or aircraft.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to turn or shift to the port, or left, side.

port ³ American  

[pawrt, pohrt] / pɔrt, poʊrt /

noun

1. any of a class of very sweet wines, mostly dark-red, originally from Portugal.

---

port ⁴ American  

[pawrt, pohrt] / pɔrt, poʊrt /

noun

1. an opening in the side or other exterior part of a ship for admitting air and light or for taking on cargo.

2. Machinery. an aperture in the surface of a cylinder, for the passage of steam, air, water, etc.

3. a small aperture in an armored vehicle, aircraft, or fortification through which a gun can be fired or a camera directed.

4. Computers.

   1. a physical connection in a computer to which a peripheral device or a transmission line from a remote terminal can be attached.

   2. Also called port number.  a numerical code that identifies an origin or destination within an IP address.

      Routers can be configured to change ports within the local network.

5. the raised center portion on a bit for horses.

6. Chiefly Scot. a gate or portal, as to a town or fortress.

---

port ⁵ American  

[pawrt] / pɔrt /

verb (used with object)

1. Military. to carry (a rifle or other weapon) with both hands, in a slanting direction across the front of the body, with the barrel or like part near the left shoulder.

2. Computers. to rewrite the source code of (a program) in a different programming language, or modify it to run on a different hardware platform or operating system (sometimes followed byover ).

   The publisher is porting several classic games to next-generation consoles.

   Our test suite may be useful if you are modifying the compiler, or porting it to a new system.

---

noun

1. Military. the position of a rifle or other weapon when ported.

2. Digital Technology, Computers. a version of an existing program, such as a video game, written to run on a different platform or operating system.

3. Archaic. manner of bearing oneself; carriage or deportment.

Port. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. Portugal.

2. Portuguese.

---

port ¹ British  

/ pɔːt /

verb

1. (tr) computing to change (programs) from one system to another

---

port ² British  

/ pɔːt /

verb

1. (tr) to carry (a rifle, etc) in a position diagonally across the body with the muzzle near the left shoulder

---

noun

1. this position

port ³ British  

/ pɔːt /

noun

1. a town or place alongside navigable water with facilities for the loading and unloading of ships

2. See port of entry

---

port ⁴ British  

/ pɔːt /

noun

1. Also called (formerly): larboard. 

   1. the left side of an aircraft or vessel when facing the nose or bow

   2. ( as modifier ) Compare starboard

      the port bow

---

verb

1. to turn or be turned towards the port

port ⁵ British  

/ pɔːt /

noun

1. (esp in Queensland) a suitcase or school case

---

port ⁶ British  

/ pɔːt /

noun

1. a sweet fortified dessert wine

---

Port. ⁷ British  

abbreviation

1. Portugal

2. Portuguese

---

port ⁸ British  

/ pɔːt /

noun

1. nautical

   1. an opening in the side of a ship, fitted with a watertight door, for access to the holds

   2. See porthole

2. a small opening in a wall, armoured vehicle, etc, for firing through

3. an aperture, esp one controlled by a valve, by which fluid enters or leaves the cylinder head of an engine, compressor, etc

4. electronics a logic circuit for the input and ouput of data

5. a gate or portal in a town or fortress

---

port Scientific  

/ pôrt /

1. An opening, as in a cylinder or valve face, for the passage of steam or fluid.

2. A place where data can pass into or out of a central processing unit, computer, or peripheral. With central processing units, a port is a fixed set of connections for incoming and outgoing data or instructions. With computers and peripherals, a port is generally a socket into which a connector can be plugged.

---

port Idioms  

1. see any port in a storm.

---

Related Words

See harbor.

Other Word Forms

• portless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of port¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English, from Latin portus “harbor, haven”; akin to ford

Origin of port²

First recorded in 1570–80; special use of port ⁴

Origin of port³

First recorded in 1695–95; earlier Oporto, from Portuguese O Porto, Oporto “the port” (that is, the main port of shipment for the wines of Portugal); see also Oporto l

Origin of port⁴

First recorded before 950; Middle English, Old English, from Latin porta “gate”; akin to portus “harbor”; see port ¹

Origin of port⁵

First recorded in 1560–70; from French porter, from Latin portāre “to carry”; see fare

Explanation

A port is a place where boats come and go. If you think that docks and harbors are romantic, I suggest you move to a port city like Baltimore. Just as seaports and airports link countries together by enabling trade and travel, a device that links computers together is also called a port. Port comes from the Latin word portus, meaning "haven" or "harbor." You can hear this sense of a port as a place of safe arrival in the proverb "any port in a storm." On a ship, the port side is the left side. Port is also a verb, meaning "to carry."

Example Sentences

"People would come through the port. At that point when they were in the port, they would be inspected and processing would happen."

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

The Israeli government said "The vessels and the passengers are transferred to an Israeli port. All the passengers are safe and in good health," the Israeli government said.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2025

“Fifteen thousand jobs depend on that port. And we’re going to do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers,” Biden said.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2024

“There are existing customers that want to expand their business at the port. We need to find a way to help them accomplish that.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 2, 2018

“Then take your things and get to the port. You’ll receive further instruction once you get there.”

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Related Words

• harbor
• seaport
• wharf