Definition of PORTER

porter

Meanings

Plural: porters

Noun

  • a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
  • someone who guards an entrance
  • United States writer of novels and short stories (1890-1980)
  • United States composer and lyricist of musical comedies (1891-1946)
  • United States writer of short stories whose pen name was O. Henry (1862-1910)
  • a railroad employee who assists passengers (especially on sleeping cars)
  • a very dark sweet ale brewed from roasted unmalted barley
  • A person who carries luggage and related objects.
  • An ant having the specialized role of carrying.
  • One who ports software (makes it usable on another platform).
  • A person in control of the entrance to a building.
  • An employee who clears and cleans tables and puts bowling balls away.
  • A strong, dark ale, originally favored by porters (etymology 1, sense 1), similar to a stout but less strong.
  • Stout (malt brew).

Verb

  • carry luggage or supplies
    • "They portered the food up Mount Kilimanjaro for the tourists"
  • To serve as a porter; to carry.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English porter, portere, portier, borrowed from Anglo-Norman portour and Old French porteor, from Late Latin portātor, from past participle of Latin portāre (“to carry”). By surface analysis, port (“to carry”) + -er.

Synonyms

Cole Albert Porter, Cole Porter, door guard, doorkeeper, doorman, gatekeeper, hall porter, Katherine Anne Porter, O. Henry, ostiary, porter's beer, Pullman porter, William Sydney Porter

Scrabble Score: 8

porter is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
porter is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
porter is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

porter is a valid Words With Friends word