porte cochere

noun

porte co·​chere ˌpȯrt-kō-ˈsher 

1

: a passageway through a building or screen wall designed to let vehicles pass from the street to an interior courtyard

2

: a roofed structure extending from the entrance of a building over an adjacent driveway and sheltering those getting in or out of vehicles

Examples of porte cochere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This starts with the private porte cochere, which serves as a peaceful transition point between Midtown and the world of the building. —Jessica Cherner, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024

The welcome begins at the entry with a grand porte cochere that signals something new. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023

The concrete columns form a porte cochere, where owners drive through to a basement garage (spaces are $200,000) and take an elevator straight to their floors, avoiding the neighborhood entirely. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 7 Mar. 2023

Thanks to the nature reserves, the property feels more like 15 acres, with immaculate landscaping and a custom drive-through porte cochere. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 30 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

French porte cochère, literally, coach door

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1