torii

noun

to·​rii ˈtȯr-ē-ˌē How to pronounce torii (audio)
plural torii
: a Japanese gateway of light construction commonly built at the approach to a Shinto shrine

Illustration of torii

Illustration of torii

Examples of torii in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Visit the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of torii gates. — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Dec. 2025 Fushimi is home to the popular climbing torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine, but most tourists only make it that far. — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026 The Fushimi Inari Taisha is a meandering orange tunnel of torii gates that winds its way for miles through the forest of Mount Inari. — Jennifer Nalewicki, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2020 The shrine’s famous torii gate, however, is undergoing renovations that began in June 2019. — Jay Cannon, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2020 See All Example Sentences for torii

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of torii was in 1727

Browse Nearby Words

to rights
torii
toril
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Torii.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torii. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on torii

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about torii

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