purport

[ verb per-pawrt, -pohrt, pur-pawrt, -pohrt; noun 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 Words From

• purport·less 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

Ukrainian government intercepts also purport to reveal Ukrainian separatists acknowledging they controlled SA-11 systems.

From The Daily Beast

Liberals, conservatives say, purport to care about the poor.

From The Daily Beast

The photos purport to show a secret overnight visit by Hollande to his alleged paramour on Dec. 30.

From The Daily Beast

In other words, this is a novel and does not purport to solve any of the myriad mysteries surrounding the killing of JFK.

From The Daily Beast

There are photos on the Internet that purport to show you as a teenager, and you look a lot different from the way you do today.

From The Daily Beast

Nothing but specific experience could have given sufficient ground for a conclusion to this purport.

From Project Gutenberg

But I believe that their purport is fairly described in the sentence above in the text.

From Project Gutenberg

To that frank purport spoke his Majesty;—and invites the Excellency Hotham to stay dinner.

From Project Gutenberg

At that moment I forgot the purport of my walk—my mother—all but the lovely object before me.

From Project Gutenberg

Finally, its purport, as stated by me above, is vouched for by Captain Ware as the aide de camp.

From Project Gutenberg