portress

American  

[pawr-tris, pohr-] / ˈpɔr trɪs, ˈpoʊr- /

noun

1. a woman who has charge of a door or gate; a female doorkeeper.

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portress British  

/ ˈpɔːtrɪs /

noun

1. a female porter, esp a doorkeeper

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Gender

See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of portress

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at porter ², -ess

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

portress

A portress stopped me by the cloakroom at the main entrance.

From Time Magazine Archive

The outer portals remained swung back all day; but the light inner doors were opened and closed on demand by old Bianca, the portress, who lived in a dusky den under the staircase.

From Dorothy and other Italian Stories by Constance Fenimore Woolson

She replied, Good:—and the mistress of the house seated herself upon a couch of alabaster, overlaid with gold and silver, and said to the portress and the cateress, Now perform your parts.

From The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I. Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Anonymous

"The Alsatian girl whom the portress of the house in which poor Louise lived brought one evening, as the porter told us?"

From The Mysteries of Paris, Volume 5 of 6 by Eugène Sue

The portress handed to them the wine, and, as the cup was circulating among them, the porter said to them, Brothers, have ye any tale or strange anecdote wherewith to amuse us?

From The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I. Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Anonymous

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