purport

[per-pawrt, -pohrt, pur-pawrt, -pohrt, pur-pawrt, -pohrt]

verb (used with object)

1. to present, especially deliberately, the appearance of being; profess or claim, often falsely.

   a document purporting to be official.

2. to convey to the mind as the meaning or thing intended; express or imply.

   Synonyms: signify, intend, mean

noun

1. the meaning, import, or sense.

   the main purport of your letter.

   Synonyms: gist, trend, drift, implication

2. purpose; intention; object.

   the main purport of their visit to France.

purport

verb

1. to claim (to be a certain thing, etc) by manner or appearance, esp falsely

2. (esp of speech or writing) to signify or imply

noun

1. meaning; significance

2. purpose; object; intention

Other Word Forms

• purportless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of purport¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; (verb) late Middle English purporten, from Anglo-French purporter “to mean, signify,” Old French porporter “to carry, convey,” equivalent to pur- pro- ¹ + porter “to carry” (from Latin portāre ); (noun) late Middle English, from Anglo-French, derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of purport¹

C15: from Anglo-French: contents, from Old French porporter to convey, from por- forth + porter to carry, from Latin portāre

Synonym Study

See meaning.

Example Sentences

It also found that people purporting to be hired staff on the website did not plan to be on the cruise, nor had they received offers of employment.

From BBC

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a right-wing Christian organization that purports to “affirm the inspired, infallible, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God,” has lent several of its attorneys to represent Chiles in the case.

From Salon

Anderson doesn’t purport to have the answers, only a new way to read life’s instructions.

From Salon

So there’s no lack of soundings that purport to show just where Californians’ heads are at a mere six weeks before election day — which, in truth, is not all that certain.

From Los Angeles Times

Right now, in this land of purported free speech, those words hit close to home.

From Salon

Related Words

• imply 
• pose as www.thesaurus.com
• pretend 
• profess