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The Latin verb portare, meaning “to carry,” was the port of entry for many an English word, from the noun portfolio to familiar verbs report, support, and transport. (The port a ship uses comes from a different Latin source: portus, meaning “port.”) Purport too ultimately comes from portare, although its direct ancestor is the Anglo-French verb purporter, meaning “to carry” or “to mean.” Today, purport is typically used when someone or something makes a claim that may or may not be true; something purported to be a fact is not at all a sure thing. The skepticism that modern purporting generally requires wasn’t present in the original verb, however. In the late 17th century, a purported claim was assumed as true as any. And three centuries before that, to purport a message, idea, etc., was simply to convey it. Purport can also function as a noun with a meaning closely related to the older verb one: it can refer to the main or general meaning conveyed in a piece of writing, in someone’s actions, etc., as in “the purport of the visit” or “the essay’s purport.”
Examples of purport in a Sentence
Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
Such online stores purport to be legitimate, U.S.-based FDA approved pharmacies.
—Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
President Donald Trump’s executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment found little support during more than two hours of oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Thursday.
—Nik Popli, Time, 15 May 2025
Social media posts purporting to show video of the moment have been widely shared online.
—Marni Rose McFall Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for purport
Cite this Entry
“Purport.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purport. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
purport
1 of 2 noun
purport
2 of 2 verb
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