porter
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Noun (7)porters
- a person employed to carry luggage and suppliesType of laborer, manual laborerKinds skycap, redcap
- someone who guards an entranceSynonyms: doorkeeperdoor guardhall portergatekeeperostiaryType of guardKinds doorman, commissionaire, night porter, ticket collector, doorwoman
- United States writer of novels and short stories (1890-1980)Synonyms: Katherine Anne PorterInstance of writer, author
- United States composer and lyricist of musical comedies (1891-1946)Synonyms: Cole PorterCole Albert PorterInstance of composer
- United States writer of short stories whose pen name was O. Henry (1862-1910)Synonyms: William Sydney PorterO. HenryInstance of writer, author
- a railroad employee who assists passengers (especially on sleeping cars)Synonyms: Pullman porterType of employee
- a very dark sweet ale brewed from roasted unmalted barleySynonyms: porter's beer
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Noun person who carries luggage
- Spanish
- mozo de equipajes
- French
- porteur
- German
- Gepäckträger
- Italian
- facchino
- Turkish
- hamal
- Russian
- носи́льщик nosílʹščik
- Arabic
- حَمَّال ḥammāl
- Dutch
- kruier
- Polish
- tragarz
- Swedish
- bärare
Noun person in control of a building entrance
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: F. portier, L. portarius, from porta a gate, door. See Port a gate.
A man who has charge of a door or gate; a doorkeeper; one who waits at the door to receive messages. William Shakespeare
To him the porter openeth.— John x. 3.
Origin: F. porteur, fr. porter to carry, L. portare. See Port to carry.
1. A carrier; one who carries or conveys burdens, luggage, etc.; for hire.
2. Forging A bar of iron or steel at the end of which a forging is made; esp., a long, large bar, to the end of which a heavy forging is attached, and by means of which the forging is lifted and handled in hammering and heating; — called also porter bar.
3. A malt liquor, of a dark color and moderately bitter taste, possessing tonic and intoxicating qualities.
☞ Porter is said to be so called as having been first used chiefly by the London porters, and this application of the word is supposed to be not older than 1750.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54