porte cochere

noun

porte co·​chere ˌpȯrt-kō-ˈsher 

1

: a passageway through a building or screen wall designed to let vehicles pass from the street to an interior courtyard

2

: a roofed structure extending from the entrance of a building over an adjacent driveway and sheltering those getting in or out of vehicles

Examples of porte cochere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Patients access the complex — created by merging a former law office, funeral home, car dealership and Dunkin’ Donuts — by driving around back where a porte cochere leads into a soaring atrium. —T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 Apr. 2025

Sitting on ocean cliffs, Ocean House is fronted by a porte cochere that leads into a double-height lobby finished with limestone and oak millwork. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025

This starts with the private porte cochere, which serves as a peaceful transition point between Midtown and the world of the building. —Jessica Cherner, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024

The welcome begins at the entry with a grand porte cochere that signals something new. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

French porte cochère, literally, coach door

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for porte cochere

• charioteer
• adhere
• ameer
• amir
• appear
• arrear
• astir
• austere
• career
• cashier
• cohere
• compere