torii

[tawr-ee-ee]

noun

plural

torii 

1. (in Japan) a form of decorative gateway or portal, consisting of two upright wooden posts connected at the top by two horizontal crosspieces, commonly found at the entrance to Shinto shrines.

torii

/ ˈtɔːrɪˌiː /

noun

1. a gateway, esp one at the entrance to a Japanese Shinto temple

Word History and Origins

Origin of torii¹

First recorded in 1720–30; from Japanese, equivalent to tori “bird” + (w)i “perch”

Word History and Origins

Origin of torii¹

C19: from Japanese, literally: a perch for birds

Example Sentences

Torii Hunter, the former Angels star and current special assistant, is interested in managing and could command a clubhouse with the kind of relentless positivity Dave Roberts brings to the Dodgers.

From Los Angeles Times

He will tell them about the one player that, even on a team with Pujols and Torii Hunter, got inundated with requests to go somewhere or meet someone or sign something.

From Los Angeles Times

To be sure, the Angels’ fan party was overwhelmingly populated by Angels fans: many in Trout jerseys, very few in jerseys of anyone else on the roster, quite a few in jerseys of Angels greats that actually won postseason games in Anaheim, including Weaver and Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter and Howie Kendrick, Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon, Darin Erstad and Troy Glaus, Rod Carew and Reggie Jackson.

From Los Angeles Times

"We see evidence for a process connecting everything in the entire Jupiter system, from the interior dynamo to the satellites and their plasma torii to the ionosphere to the stratospheric hazes. Finding these examples helps us to understand the planet as a whole."

From Science Daily

On South Seaside Avenue they saw a torii gate like one sees at a Shinto shrine, historical plaques and a bronze pair of Japanese fishermen gazing at Fish Harbor, where their village once stood.

From Los Angeles Times