port

1 of 10

noun (1)

ˈpȯrt 

1

: a place where ships may ride secure from storms : haven

2

a

: a harbor town or city where ships may take on or discharge cargo

b

: airport

3

: port of entry

port

2 of 10

noun (2)

1

chiefly Scotland : gate

2

a

: an opening (as in a valve seat or valve face) for intake or exhaust of a fluid

b

: the area of opening in a cylinder face of a passageway for the working fluid in an engine

also : such a passageway

c

: a small opening in a container or vessel especially for viewing or for the controlled passage of material

access port

3

a

: an opening in a vessel's side (as for admitting light or loading cargo)

b

archaic : the cover for a porthole

4

: a hole in an armored vehicle or fortification through which guns may be fired

5

: a hardware interface by which a computer is connected to another device (such as a printer, a mouse, or another computer)

broadly : jack sense 4

port

3 of 10

noun (3)

1

: the manner of bearing oneself

2

archaic : state sense 3

3

: the position in which a military weapon is carried at the command port arms

port

4 of 10

verb (1)

ported; porting; ports

transitive verb

: to turn or put (a helm) to the left

—used chiefly as a command

port

5 of 10

noun (4)

: the left side of a ship or aircraft looking forward

called also larboard

compare starboard

port

6 of 10

adjective

: located on the left side of a ship or airplane looking forward : of, relating to, or situated to port

The forward and port staterooms share a head and both feature upper/lower bunks.

—Dex Hart

port

7 of 10

noun (5)

: a sweet fortified wine of rich taste and aroma made in Portugal

also : a similar wine made elsewhere

port

8 of 10

verb (2)

ported; porting; ports

transitive verb

: to translate (software) into a version for another computer or operating system

port

9 of 10

abbreviation (1)

1

portable

2

portrait

Port

10 of 10

abbreviation (2)

Portugal

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• anchorage
• harbor
• harborage
• haven

Examples of port in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the cruise ship stops at each port for one night only

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And much like the Gulf ports of today, opulent communities of global traders set up shop in Kabul, giving the city a cosmopolitan touch. —David Chaffetz, Fortune Asia, 15 Dec. 2024

The port is busier than usual this time of year, unloading hundreds of thousands of shipping containers from Asia each month. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 15 Dec. 2024

Adjective

The latest release, however, is a trio of whiskies that were finished in port barrels, another key element in the distillery’s maturation process. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Oct. 2024

The current contract between the International Longshoremen's Association union, which represents 45,000 port workers, and the United States Maritime Alliance, which negotiates for employers at ports from Texas to Maine, expires on Sept. 30. —David Shepardson, Detroit Free Press, 26 Sep. 2024

Verb

For example, aerial surveillance could show the movement of ammunition from arsenals to port as the Pentagon prepared for war. —Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024

Guest staterooms to port and starboard offer twin berths. —Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English & Anglo-French, from Latin portus — more at ford

Noun (2)

Middle English porte, from Anglo-French, gate, door, from Latin porta passage, gate; akin to Latin portus port

Noun (3)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from porter to carry, from Latin portare

Noun (4) and Verb (1)

probably from port entry 1 or port entry 2

Noun (5)

Oporto, Portugal

Verb (2)

perhaps from port entry 2 (hardware interface)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1580, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

circa 1544, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1842, in the meaning defined above

Noun (5)

circa 1626, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1984, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing port

• any port in a storm
• container port
• free port
• home port
• port arms
• port de bras
• port of call
• port of entry
• port-wine stain
• sally port
• treaty port

Kids Definition

port

1 of 5 noun

ˈpōrt 

ˈpȯrt

1

: a place where ships may take shelter from storms

2

: a harbor town or city where ships load or unload cargo

3

: airport

port

2 of 5 noun

1

a

: an opening (as in machinery) for gas, steam, or water to go in or out

b

: a place of entry into a system

2

: porthole sense 1

3

: Jack entry 1 sense 7

port

3 of 5 verb

: to turn (the helm of a ship) to the left

—used chiefly as a command

port

4 of 5 noun

: the left side of a ship or aircraft looking forward

port adjective

port

5 of 5 noun

: a rich sweet wine

Etymology

Noun

Middle English port "a place for ships to be secured," from Old English port and early French port (both, same meaning), from Latin portus (same meaning)

Noun

Middle English porte "gate, an opening in the side of a ship for light or moving cargo in or out," from early French porte "door, gate," from Latin porta "passage, gate" — related to portal

Noun

probably from ¹port "a place for ships to be secured" or ²port "an opening in the side of a ship"; so called because early sailing vessels kept the left side toward the port because the steering mechanism was always on the right side see Word History at starboard

Noun

Oporto, Portugal

Medical Definition

port

noun

ˈpȯrt 

: an opening, passage, or channel through which something can be introduced into the body: as

a

: a small medical device (as of plastic or titanium) that is implanted below the skin, is attached to a catheter typically inserted into a blood vessel, and has a small opening through which a needle can be inserted to administer fluids or drugs or withdraw blood

b

: an incision (as one made between intercostal spaces) for passing a medical instrument (as an endoscope) into the body