Etymology From Old English port, borrowed from Latin portus (“port, harbour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”) (and thus a distant doublet of ford). The directional sense, attested since at least the 1500s, derives from ancient vessels with the steering oar on the right (see etymology of starboard), which therefore had to moor with their left sides facing the dock or wharf. Doublet of fjard, fjord, firth, ford, and Portus.
1
A place on the coast at which ships can shelter, or dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.
peering in maps for ports and piers and roadsc. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
From the ground, Colombo's port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
2
A town or city containing such a place, a port city.
More broadly, the port is seen as a litmus test for France; if its most multicultural city can foster vast Muslim enclaves viewed with broad suspicion or hostility by the police, then what hope is there elsewhere?2023 July 1, Mark Townsend, “‘We are seen as less human’: inside Marseille’s districts abandoned by the police”, in The Observer, →ISSN:
3
Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Nautical, Physical sciences, Transport The left-hand side of a vessel, including aircraft, when one is facing the front. Used to unambiguously refer to directions relative to the vessel structure, rather than to a person or object on board.
4
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Rowing, Sports A sweep rower that primarily rows with an oar on the port side.
Each eight has four ports and four starboards.
Derived terms
241 termsNouns, aëroport, airport, any port in a storm, aport, Burtonport, carport, container port, cosmoport, dry port, Earthport, Eastport, establishment of the port, first port of call, free port, girl in every port, half-port, heliport, helm-port, helm port, home port, homeport, hoverport, jetport, joyport, lakeport, Lewisporte, Lockeport, megaport, miniport, moonport, Moonport, multiport, nonport, Oldport, outport, passport, port authority, porthouse, port knocking, portland, Portland, portless, portlet, Portman, portman, portmaster, portmote, port of call, port of entry, port of registry, portpass, portsale, portside, raft port, river port, riverport, Saint Peter Port, seaport, secondary port, shuttleport, skyport, Southport, spaceport, standard port, starport, static port, subport, suitport, superport, switchport, teleport, treaty port, viewport, waterport, Proper nouns, Amlwch Port, Beachport, Burry Port, Cape Portland, Dennis Port, Dennisport, Devonport, Dudley Port, East Cove Port, East Devonport, Ellesmere Port, Freeport, Gulfport, Harwich Port, Hyannis Port, Jonesport, Leesport, Little Swanport, Lockport, Logansport, Lower Portland, Machiasport, Masindi Port, Newport, New Port, North Port, Old Port, Pembrey and Burry Port Town, Port Adelaide, Port Albany, Port Albert, Port Allen, Port Alma, Port Angeles, Port Antonio, Port Area, Portarlington, Port Arthur, Port Augusta, Port Augusta West, Port Austin, Port Barre, Port Bell, Port Blandford, Port Bonython, Port Botany, Port Broughton, Port Campbell, Port Canaveral, Port Carlisle, Port Chalmers, Port Charlotte, Port Chester, Port Chicago, Port Clarence, Port Clinton, Port Clyde, Port Coquitlam, Port Curtis, Port Davis, Port Denison, Port Dickson, Port Dundas, Port Eglinton, Port Elizabeth, Port Ellen, Port Elliot, Port Erin, Port Erroll, Port Everglades, Port Eynon, Port Fairy, Port-Francqui, Port Franklin, Port Gaverne, Port Gawler, Port Germein, Port Gibbon, Port Gibson, Port Glasgow, Portgordon, Port Gordon, Port Hacking, Port Harcourt, Port Hedland, Port Hills, Port Hope, Port Hughes, Port Huon, Port Huron, Port Isaac, Port Jackson, Port Jervis, Port Julia, Port Kembla, Port Kennedy, Port Kenny, Port Klang, Port Latta, Port Lavaca, Port Lincoln, Port Loko, Port Lyautey, Port Macdonnell, Port Macquarie, Port Mannum, Port Melbourne, Port Mellon, Port Moody, Port Moorowie, Port Mulgrave, Port Neill, Port Noarlunga, Port Noarlunga South, Port Nolloth, Port of Brisbane, Port of Menteith, Port of Spain, Port Orchard, Port Paterson, Portpatrick, Port Pirie, Port Pirie South, Port Pirie West, Port Providence, Port Quin, Port Region, Port Richey, Port Rickaby, Port Royal, Port Salford, Portsea, Port Seton, Port Soderick, Port Sorell, Port Stephens, Port St. Joe, Port St Mary, Port Sudan, Port Suez, Port Sunlight, Port Swettenham, Port Talbot, Port Tewfik, Port Townsend, Port Victoria, Port Vincent, Port Wakefield, Port Washington, Port Weld, Port Welshpool, Port Willunga, Rock Port, Searsport, Southport Lagoon, Stockport, Stowport, Suez Port, Swanport, Tayport, Teesport, Upper Stowport, Westport, Winterport, Yarmouth Port
Etymology From Old English port, borrowed from Latin portus (“port, harbour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”) (and thus a distant doublet of ford). The directional sense, attested since at least the 1500s, derives from ancient vessels with the steering oar on the right (see etymology of starboard), which therefore had to moor with their left sides facing the dock or wharf. Doublet of fjard, fjord, firth, ford, and Portus.
1
Nautical, Transport Of or relating to port, the left-hand side of a vessel when facing the bow.
Etymology From Old English port, borrowed from Latin portus (“port, harbour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”) (and thus a distant doublet of ford). The directional sense, attested since at least the 1500s, derives from ancient vessels with the steering oar on the right (see etymology of starboard), which therefore had to moor with their left sides facing the dock or wharf. Doublet of fjard, fjord, firth, ford, and Portus.
1
Nautical, TransportImperative To turn or put to the left or larboard side of a ship; said of the helm.
The tall ships will port in Pugwash during its annual Harbourfest Celebrations[…]2009 March 25, Metro International, Atlantic Free Daily Newspapers Inc., Metro Halifax - March 25, 2009:
We have to wait until the ship ports, buddy, and then we can get you the help you need.2015, M.L. Brummett, Semper Fidelis:
1 more example
Our cruise ship ported at Mykonos, a small island off the coast of Greece, for an overnight stay.2017, Willian R. Stephenson, Conversations: Stories and Poems that Speak to Our Soul:
port
noun
Etymology Inherited from the Old English port, from the Latin porta (“passage, gate”), reinforced by the Old French porte. Doublet of porta.
And whan he cam to the porte of the pavelon, Sir Palomydes seyde an hyghe, ‘Where art thou, Sir Trystram de Lyones?’1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, book X:
Long were it to describe the goodly frame, / And stately port of Castle Joyeous […].1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.1:
2 more examples
Him I accuse / The city ports by this hath enter'd1623, Shakespeare, Coriolanus, V.vi:
And from their ivory port the Cherubim, / Forth issuing at the accustomed hour1667, Milton, Paradise Lost, book IV:
2
An opening or doorway in the side of a ship, especially for boarding or loading; an embrasure through which a cannon may be discharged; a porthole.
[…] her ports being within sixteen inches of the water […]c. 1615, Sir W. Raleigh, A Discourse of the Invention of Ships, Anchors, Compass […] :
3
Medicine, Sciences A small medical appliance installed beneath the skin, connected to a vein by a catheter, and used to inject drugs or to draw blood samples.
4
Ball games, Curling, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A narrow opening between other players' bowls or stones wide enough for a delivered bowl or stone to pass through.
5
An opening where a connection (such as with a pipe) is made.
6
An opening with a valve seat such that a valve can control the flow of fluid through the opening.
7
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A logical or physical construct in and from which data are transferred. Computer port on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
8
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A female connector of an electronic device, into which a cable's male connector can be inserted.
9
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Networking, Physical sciences, SciencesAlso A number that delimits a connection for specific processes or parts of a network service.
Etymology From Old French porter, from Latin portāre (“carry”). Akin to transport, portable.
1
To carry, bear, bring, or transport. See porter.
Dauid in this Pſalme doth exhoꝛt, to pꝛayſe the Loꝛde alwayes: Foꝛ that he did vs make and poꝛt, and guydes vs all our dayes.1567 February 8 (Gregorian calendar), John Pits, “The .100. Psalme”, in A Poore Mannes Beneuolence to the Afflicted Church, London: […] Alexander Lacy, signature [B.iv.], recto:
What one may call River or Freſh-water-Coale, digged out in this Country, at ſuch a diſtance from Severne, that they are eaſily ported by Boat into other Shires.a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, “Shrop-shire”, in The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, →OCLC, page 1:
1 more example
A handful of ants meander across each plank, some porting crumblike objects on their back, others apparently just out for a stroll.2001, Steven Johnson, “The Myth of the Ant Queen”, in Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software, New York, N.Y.: Scribner, →ISBN, part 1, page 32:
2
Government, Military, Politics, War To hold or carry (a weapon) with both hands so that it lies diagonally across the front of the body, with the barrel or similar part near the left shoulder and the right hand grasping the small of the stock; or, to throw (the weapon) into this position on command.
Port arms!
[…] the angelic squadron...began to hem him round with ported spears.1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, book IV:
By its tenth week of release, CPH was the best-selling PC game in America. PlayStation and Xbox ports were already in the works, and there was talk of porting it to Nintendo.2022, Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Vintage (2023), page 259:
If you submit a request to port a number, and you list the name on the account as Bob Smith, but your local carrier has the number listed under your wife's name Mary Mahoney, the porting request is rejected.2011, Stephen P. Olejniczak, Telecom For Dummies, page 131:
5
Government, LawUS To transfer a voucher or subsidy from one jurisdiction to another.
Etymology From Old French porter, from Latin portāre (“carry”). Akin to transport, portable.
1
Something used to carry a thing, especially a frame for wicks in candle-making.
2
Archaic The manner in which a person carries himself; bearing; deportment; carriage. See also portance.
Those same with stately grace, and princely port / She taught to tread, when she her selfe would grace […]1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iii:
the necessities of pomp, grandeur, and a suitable port in the worlda. 1717 (date written), Robert South, “(please specify the sermon number)”, in Five Additional Volumes of Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume (please specify |volume=VII to XI), London: […] Charles Bathurst, […], published 1744, →OCLC:
1 more example
For the port, the voice, the smell, the hairdress, were seldom the same, from one day to the next, […]1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
3
Government, Military, Politics, War The position of a weapon when ported; a rifle position executed by throwing the weapon diagonally across the front of the body, with the right hand grasping the small of the stock and the barrel sloping upward and crossing the point of the left shoulder.
4
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A program that has been adapted, modified, or recoded so that it works on a different platform; the act of this adapting.
Gamers can't wait until a port of the title is released on the new system.
The latest port of the database software is the worst since we made the changeover.
5
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A set of files used to build and install a binary executable file from the source code of an application.
No, she just paid up proper-like t' the end of the week, an' orf she went with 'er port, down t' the station, I suppose.1964, George Johnston, My Brother Jack:
As they left the classroom, Jennifer pointed at the shelves lining the veranda. “Put your port in there.” “What?” asked Penny. “Your port - your school bag, silly. It goes in there.”2001, Sally de Dear, The House on Pig Island, page 8:
1 more example
How do you think the cane toads got into this pristine environment? Joseph Midnight brought them in his port from Townsville, smuggled them in, not that anyone was there to stop him.2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, Giramondo, published 2012, page 53:
This is a logical way to order your work, but use it only if you're confident the first piece in your port is a strong one. Also note that this style of arrangement works best if all the pieces are in the same category.2011, Debbie Rose Myers, The Graphic Designer's Guide to Portfolio Design, page 53: