Port
/pɔːrt/noun
A harbor or place where ships load and unload; also a fortified gate or opening.
Did you know?Port and its cousins spread through Latin as words for carrying and passage, giving us everything from transport to portable, while the harbor sense came through the idea of a place where ships are brought in.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“to carry, convey”
Latin
Latin
portare
“to carry”
Latin
Latin
portus
“a harbor, haven, or place of passage”
Old French
Old French
port
“a harbor or landing place”
Middle English
English
port
“a harbor; a gate or entrance”
Modern English
English
port
“a harbor, a left-side direction in navigation, or a type of fortified opening”