porte cochere

noun

porte co·​chere ˌpȯrt-kō-ˈsher How to pronounce porte cochere (audio)
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
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In addition to the Blumhouse Space, the venue will feature a 1,000-seat theater for film premieres, screenings, events, and concerts, 64 new luxury rooms for the hotel, a new lobby, a new porte cochere and more. Andrew McGowan, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025 The porte cochere leads to an underground garage — a bonus for wealthy residents worried about their security for the same reasons that the characters in both films are. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 4 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for porte cochere

Word History

Etymology

French porte cochère, literally, coach door

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of porte cochere was in 1698

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Cite this Entry

“Porte cochere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porte%20cochere. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

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