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

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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

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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

See Examples For:

portal

Nova's news portal has responded to threats of journalist boycotts by offering the newsroom a choice: work under the new editors or accept a severance package.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

Its title refers to the less-traversed north face of the mountain, but also to the way Everest can feel, to some climbers, like a portal to another plane of existence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Maybe the positive could be the beauty of the portal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

They are also asking for any photos or videos taken in and around the Menai Straits shoreline in Siliwen within the same time frame to be uploaded to the force's major incident public portal.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

The teachers know who got each award and who finished the year with the best GPA, but they won’t publish exam grades and final averages on the student portal until after today’s ceremony.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

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