porte-cochere

or porte-co·chère

[ pawrt-koh-shair, -kuh-, pohrt- ]

/ ˌpɔrt koʊˈʃɛər, -kə-, ˌpoʊrt- /

noun

a covered carriage entrance leading into a courtyard.

a porch at the door of a building for sheltering persons entering and leaving carriages.

Nearby words

Origin of porte-cochere

1690–1700; < French: gate for coaches

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for porte-cochere

Next to this 'porte-cochere' was a small 'cafe', whose brilliant lights would cause him to be seen quite plainly.
Conscience, Complete|Hector Malot
Suddenly there was a movement under the porte-cochere of "the house," and a man ran through the street.
Conscience, Complete|Hector Malot
To-night at ten o'clock she will leave the porte-cochere unlatched.
El Dorado|Baroness Orczy
He never doubted that they were the keys he sought, one opening the stable door and the other the gates of the porte-cochere.
The Trampling of the Lilies|Rafael Sabatini

As they reached the porte-cochere she began to laugh airily, and spoke to the impassive man in livery who stood there.
Alice Adams|Booth Tarkington

British Dictionary definitions for porte-cochere

porte-cochere

/ (ˌpɔːtkɒˈʃɛə) /

noun

a large covered entrance for vehicles leading into a courtyard

a large roof projecting over a drive to shelter travellers entering or leaving vehicles

Word Origin for porte-cochere

C17: from French: carriage entrance, from porte gateway + coche coach

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for porte-cochere

porte-cochere

gateway for carriages, 1690s, from French porte-cochère, from porte "gate" (see port (n.2)) + cochère, fem. adjective from coche "coach" (see coach (n.)).