porthole

[ pawrt-hohl, pohrt- ]

/ ˈpɔrtˌhoʊl, ˈpoʊrt- /

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See synonyms for porthole on Thesaurus.com

noun

a round, windowlike opening with a hinged, watertight glass cover in the side of a vessel for admitting air and light.Compare port⁴ (def. 1).

an opening in a wall, door, etc., as one through which to shoot.

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Origin of porthole

First recorded in 1585–95; port⁴ + hole

Words nearby porthole

portfolio, portfolio employment, portfolio worker, Port Gentil, Port Harcourt, porthole, porthole die, Port Hudson, Port Hueneme, Port Huron, Portia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use porthole in a sentence

With this fossil now out of obscurity, we’ve gained a rare paleontological porthole into the history of these unique predators.
Eyeless army ants chomped their way through Europe millions of years ago|Laura Baisas|November 23, 2022|Popular-Science
The cockpit is a circular pod with half a dozen couches arranged around the periphery, each with a window significantly larger than the little portholes on commercial airliners.
Why Jeff Bezos Should Be Applauded for Going to Space|Jeffrey Kluger|June 7, 2021|Time
A spur marked by signage for the park’s Windows Section—so named for the portholes that have been gouged from the rock—is worth the trip as well.
The Ultimate Arches National Park Travel Guide|Shawnté Salabert|April 22, 2021|Outside Online
He looked up through the porthole and saw, perfectly framed, the Acropolis.
Remembering the Man Who Brought Jaws—and Me—to the Shelves|Christopher Buckley|December 23, 2008|DAILY BEAST

When he woke he wondered where he was; but as through the porthole he saw the sheen of the sea he remembered everything.
The Everlasting Arms|Joseph Hocking
Directly their attention was attracted to the porthole again by a tapping.
Boy Scouts in the North Sea|G. Harvey Ralphson
Go to the porthole, Jimmie, and see where our friend is now.
Boy Scouts in the North Sea|G. Harvey Ralphson
She turned away impatiently and walked toward the cabin porthole.
The Ghost Breaker|Charles Goddard
The little cabin was dark except for a faint light streaming in through the open porthole.
The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island|Ross Kay

British Dictionary definitions for porthole

porthole

/ (ˈpɔːtˌhəʊl) /

noun

a small aperture in the side of a vessel to admit light and air, usually fitted with a watertight glass or metal cover, or bothSometimes shortened to: port

an opening in a wall or parapet through which a gun can be fired; embrasure

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

porthole

Origin of porthole

Words nearby porthole

Words related to porthole

How to use porthole in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for porthole