portable

American  

[pawr-tuh-buhl, pohr-] / ˈpɔr tə bəl, ˈpoʊr- /

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.

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

4. Obsolete. endurable.

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noun

• portables
  plural

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.

portable British  

/ 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

3. archaic able to be endured; bearable

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noun

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• portability
  noun
• nonportable
  adjective
• unportable
  adjective
• portably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• portables
  plural

Etymology

Origin of portable

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin portābilis; see port ⁵, -able

Explanation

If something's portable, you can easily take it with you . You may carry your portable computer with you from class to class because it's small, light, and fits easily in your backpack. First appearing around 1400, portable stems from the Latin word portare, meaning "to carry." Used as an adjective, portable describes something you can carry around easily. Used as a noun, it means a smaller, easy-to-carry version of something, like a computer or television. On a trip, you might take your portable so you can watch movies in the car. Before computers became popular, you might have carried around a lightweight typewriter called a portable.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

portable portables

Fans will also not be allowed to bring portable ring lights - a piece of equipment used by content creators - to SW19.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

Small, portable, multipurpose designs, from inflatables to cardboard furniture offered a life with fewer possessions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Grip strength is measured using a portable device called a handgrip dynamometer, says Ryan McGrath, an associate professor of exercise science at North Dakota State University.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

"In the paradigm we propose, portable ultrasound devices usable by any healthcare professional will become the standard tool for atherosclerosis screening from the early stages of adult life," Dr. Ibáñez said.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026

The driver and two EMTs, one of whom grabs a kit and another who is carrying a portable nebulizer.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Built into a refurbished shipping container, it’s filled with everything from tiny Walkman-style portables to colorful, number-flip clock radios and, naturally, boomboxes of all sizes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026

Aya Neo is a relatively young company that formed in 2020, but it’s already put out a few well-regarded portables, and the Next is its first big redesign.

From The Verge ● Mar. 18, 2022

Like Northshore, the Lake Washington district — which has grown by 31% since 2008 — also wants to build classrooms and reduce its use of portables.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2022

The only question portables raise for me are logistical.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2020

There was instant and total chaos in the back row, the one nearest to the football field, because the portables themselves were starting to break apart and move.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

Related Words

• compact
• convenient
• handy
• lightweight