purport

American  

[per-pawrt, -pohrt, pur-pawrt, -pohrt, pur-pawrt, -pohrt] / pərˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt, ˈpɜr pɔrt, -poʊrt, ˈpɜr pɔrt, -poʊrt /

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

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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 British  

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

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noun

1. meaning; significance

2. purpose; object; intention

Related Words

See meaning.

Other Word Forms

• purportless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of purport

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

Explanation

Use purport when you want to convince people about something that might not be true, like when you purport that the dog ate your homework. The verb purport can mean "to claim" — whether you mean it or not — or "to intend," like when you purport to study all night. So it makes sense that as a noun, purport means the intention or purpose, like the purport of a political candidate's speech was to get your vote. If the speech was long and hard to follow, you might be lucky just to get the purport, which here means "the main point or meaning."

Example Sentences

Washington on the Purport of the Letter from the Secret Committee.

From The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn by Johnston, Henry P.

I come now to the Votive Table, which is rich in poetick Graces, however overwhelm’d with Depravation: and Sir George seems as much to have mistaken the Purport, as the Words, of the Inscription.

From Preface to the Works of Shakespeare (1734) by Dick, Hugh G.

An Extract of a Letter from on board a Ship in Lisbon Harbour, Nov: 19, to the same Purport.

From Lady Good-for-Nothing by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

Not this the world, Nor these the universes, they the universes, Purport and end, ever the permanent life of life, Eidolons, eidolons.

From Leaves of Grass by Whitman, Walt

On the left Side, and behind, there is an Inscription in the Dutch Language, much to the Purport of the first Inscription.

From Colloquies of Erasmus, Volume I. by Erasmus, Desiderius

Related Words

• imply
• pose as
• pretend
• profess