porter
1[ pawr-ter, pohr- ]
/ ˈpɔr tər, ˈpoʊr- /
noun
a person hired to carry burdens or baggage, as at a railroad station or a hotel.
a person who does cleaning and maintenance work in a building, factory, store, etc.
an attendant in a railroad parlor car or sleeping car.
Words nearby porter
porte, porte-cochere, portend, portent, portentous, porter, porter chair, porter's sign, porter, cole, porterage, portered
Definition for porter (2 of 5)
porter2
[ pawr-ter, pohr- ]
/ ˈpɔr tər, ˈpoʊr- /
noun
a person who has charge of a door or gate; doorkeeper.
Roman Catholic Church. ostiary(def 1).
Definition for porter (3 of 5)
porter3
[ pawr-ter, pohr- ]
/ ˈpɔr tər, ˈpoʊr- /
noun
a heavy, dark-brown ale made with malt browned by drying at a high temperature.
Origin of porter
3First recorded in 1720–30; short for porter's ale, apparently orig. brewed for porters
Definition for porter (4 of 5)
Porter
[ pawr-ter, pohr- ]
/ ˈpɔr tər, ˈpoʊr- /
noun
Definition for porter (5 of 5)
port2
[ pawrt, pohrt ]
/ pɔrt, poʊrt /
noun
the left-hand side of a vessel or aircraft, facing forward.
adjective
pertaining to or designating port.
located on the left side of a vessel or aircraft.
verb (used with or without object)
to turn or shift to the port, or left, side.
Origin of port
2First recorded in 1570–80; special use of port4
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Examples from the Web for porter
British Dictionary definitions for porter (1 of 11)
porter1
/ (ˈpɔːtə) /
noun
a person employed to carry luggage, parcels, supplies, etc, esp at a railway station or hotel
(in hospitals) a person employed to move patients from place to place
US and Canadian a railway employee who waits on passengers, esp in a sleeper
East African a manual labourer
Word Origin for porter
C14: from Old French portour, from Late Latin portātōr, from Latin portāre to carry
British Dictionary definitions for porter (2 of 11)
porter2
/ (ˈpɔːtə) /
noun
mainly British a person in charge of a gate or door; doorman or gatekeeper
a person employed by a university or college as a caretaker and doorkeeper who also answers enquiries
a person in charge of the maintenance of a building, esp a block of flats
Also called: ostiary RC Church a person ordained to what was formerly the lowest in rank of the minor orders
Word Origin for porter
C13: from Old French portier, from Late Latin portārius doorkeeper, from Latin porta door
British Dictionary definitions for porter (3 of 11)
porter3
/ (ˈpɔːtə) /
noun
British a dark sweet ale brewed from black malt
Word Origin for porter
C18: shortened from porter's ale, apparently because it was a favourite beverage of porters
British Dictionary definitions for porter (4 of 11)
Porter
/ (ˈpɔːtə) /
noun
Cole. 1893–1964, US composer and lyricist of musical comedies. His most popular songs include Night and Day and Let's do It
George, Baron Porter of Luddenham. 1920–2002, British chemist, who shared a Nobel prize for chemistry in 1967 for his work on flash photolysis
Katherine Anne. 1890–1980, US short-story writer and novelist. Her best-known collections of stories are Flowering Judas (1930) and Pale Horse, Pale Rider (1939)
Rodney Robert. 1917–85, British biochemist: shared the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine 1972 for determining the structure of an antibody
William Sidney. original name of O. Henry
British Dictionary definitions for porter (5 of 11)
port1
/ (pɔːt) /
noun
a town or place alongside navigable water with facilities for the loading and unloading of ships
See port of entry
Word Origin for port
Old English, from Latin portus harbour, port
British Dictionary definitions for porter (6 of 11)
port2
/ (pɔːt) /
noun
Also called (formerly): larboard
- the left side of an aircraft or vessel when facing the nose or bow
- (as modifier)the port bow Compare starboard (def. 1)
verb
to turn or be turned towards the port
Word Origin for port
C17: origin uncertain
British Dictionary definitions for porter (7 of 11)
port3
/ (pɔːt) /
noun
a sweet fortified dessert wine
Word Origin for port
C17: after Oporto, Portugal, from where it came originally
British Dictionary definitions for porter (8 of 11)
port4
/ (pɔːt) /
noun
nautical
- an opening in the side of a ship, fitted with a watertight door, for access to the holds
- See porthole (def. 1)
a small opening in a wall, armoured vehicle, etc, for firing through
an aperture, esp one controlled by a valve, by which fluid enters or leaves the cylinder head of an engine, compressor, etc
electronics a logic circuit for the input and ouput of data
mainly Scot a gate or portal in a town or fortress
Word Origin for port
Old English, from Latin porta gate
British Dictionary definitions for porter (9 of 11)
port5
/ (pɔːt) military /
verb
(tr) to carry (a rifle, etc) in a position diagonally across the body with the muzzle near the left shoulder
noun
this position
Word Origin for port
C14: from Old French, from porter to carry, from Latin portāre
British Dictionary definitions for porter (10 of 11)
port6
/ (pɔːt) /
verb
(tr) computing to change (programs) from one system to another
Word Origin for port
C20: probably from port 4
British Dictionary definitions for porter (11 of 11)
port7
/ (pɔːt) /
noun
Australian (esp in Queensland) a suitcase or school case
Word Origin for port
C20: shortened from portmanteau
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
Medical definitions for porter
Porter
[ pôr′tər ]
British biochemist. He shared a 1972 Nobel Prize for his research on the chemical structure and nature of antibodies.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for porter (1 of 2)
Porter
[ pôr′tər ]
British biochemist who shared with George Edelman the 1972 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine for their study of the chemical structure of antibodies.
Scientific definitions for porter (2 of 2)
port
[ pôrt ]
An opening, as in a cylinder or valve face, for the passage of steam or fluid.
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Idioms and Phrases with porter
port
see any port in a storm.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.