portal
English meaning: Portal
Definition
An entrance, entry point, or means of entry.
Example
“The local library, a portal of knowledge.”
Another example: “Students access their grades through the university's online portal.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Neutral to formal; an entrance or gateway, and in computing a website serving as a gateway to services (web portal, customer portal). Also anatomical (portal vein). Common in tech, architecture, and medicine.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Medieval Latin 'portale' (gate, porch), from Latin 'porta' (gate); entered English via Old French in the 14th century.
Related Words
- hepatic
- hypertension
- tympanum
- venous
- vein
- surmounted
- tunnel
- flanked
- liver
- closes
Common Collocations
- web portal
- online portal
- customer portal
- portal vein
- portal site
- grand portal
Word Forms
portal (n); portals (pl.)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
CC-licensed · free to useVideo
Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B