portable

1 of 2

adjective

por·​ta·​ble ˈpȯr-tə-bəl 

1

a

: capable of being carried or moved about

a portable TV

b

: characterized by portability

a portable pension

c

: usable on many computers with little or no modification

portable software

2

archaic : bearable

portably

ˈpȯr-tə-blē 

adverb

portable

2 of 2

noun

: something that is portable

Synonyms

Adjective

• mobile
• modular
• movable
• moveable

Examples of portable in a Sentence

Adjective

Portable devices such as MP3 players are becoming increasingly popular.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Workers with portable benefits can access benefits regardless of their employment status. —Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 8 Aug. 2025

This quick recipe is a big-batch, portable version of the Southern-favorite tomato sandwich. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2025

Noun

Powered by Qualcomm's Copilot-friendly Snapdragon X Plus processor, and with a startlingly juicy OLED display, this portable feels premium from top to bottom. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Aug. 2025

This is a potent big-screen portable for creatives, with a juicy 24GB of system memory and a gorgeous Liquid Retina display that's bright and colorful. —PC Magazine, 14 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin portabilis, from Latin portare to carry — more at fare

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1708, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for portable

• deportable
• exportable
• reportable
• supportable
• transportable
• insupportable
• unsupportable

Kids Definition

portable

adjective

por·​ta·​ble

ˈpōrt-ə-bəl,

ˈpȯrt-

: possible to carry or move about

a portable computer

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English portable "capable of being carried or moved about," from early French portable (same meaning), from Latin portabilis (same meaning), from earlier portare "to carry" — related to portfolio, transport