portal

1 of 2

noun

por·​tal ˈpȯr-tᵊl How to pronounce portal (audio)
1
: door, entrance
especially : a grand or imposing one
2
: the whole architectural composition surrounding and including the doorways and porches of a church
3
: the approach or entrance to a bridge or tunnel
4
: a communicating part or area of an organism
specifically : the point at which something (such as a pathogen) enters the body
5
: a website serving as a guide or point of entry to the World Wide Web and usually including a search engine or a collection of links to other sites arranged especially by topic

portal

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to the transverse fissure on the underside of the liver where most of the vessels enter
2
: of, relating to, or being a portal vein or a portal system
portal circulation

Examples of portal in a Sentence

Noun a Web portal for baseball fans the main portal to the estate is an elaborate wrought iron gate on the side facing the road
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The office oversaw the rollout of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic and is best known for publishing state telework data on an online portal. Maya Miller, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 The letter, in addition to being emailed, is posted on the password-only Ford dealer web portal. Detroit Free Press, 2 Mar. 2024 Here are four considerations that multi-brand retailer executives should examine before considering an outsourced vendor portal. Jay Hakami, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Kansas City job hunters can apply through the city’s job portal. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2024 Once all the above documents have been compiled, applicants can search for a passport acceptance facility through the bureau’s online portal, then schedule an appointment to submit their application. Jared Ranahan, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2024 Contributors began using the portal in 2015 to log water temperature and salinity data, note observations of important wildlife species—such as beluga and common eider ducks—and track the flow of contaminants through the food web. Hannah Hoag, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 But Jackson nearly wasn’t a 49er. COAST TO COAST After missing the entire 2022-23 season with injury, Jackson hit the transfer portal looking for a new home. Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2024 The Toreros plucked their top starting pitcher from the transfer portal in junior RHP Josh Randall, a power arm from Arizona. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'portal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin portale city gate, porch, from neuter of portalis of a gate, from Latin porta gate — more at port

Adjective

New Latin porta transverse fissure of the liver, from Latin, gate

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1754, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of portal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near portal

Cite this Entry

“Portal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portal. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

portal

noun
por·​tal
ˈpōrt-ᵊl,
ˈpȯrt-
1
: a large or imposing door or entrance
2
: a website serving as a guide or point of entry to the Internet
Etymology

Noun

Middle English portal "door, the structure around a door," from early French portal (same meaning), derived from Latin portalis (adjective) "of a gate," from porta "gate, passage" — related to port entry 2

Medical Definition

portal

1 of 2 noun
por·​tal ˈpȯrt-ᵊl How to pronounce portal (audio)
: a communicating part or area of an organism: as
b
: the point at which something enters the body
portals of infection

portal

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of or relating to the porta hepatis
2
: of, relating to, or being a portal vein or a portal system
portal blood
portal circulation

Biographical Definition

Portal

biographical name

Por·​tal ˈpȯr-tᵊl How to pronounce Portal (audio)
Charles Frederick Algernon 1893–1971 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford British air marshal

More from Merriam-Webster on portal

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