plural porters
chiefly British
: a person stationed at a door or gate to admit or assist those entering
plural porters
1
: a person who carries burdens
especially
: one employed to carry baggage for patrons at a hotel or transportation terminal
2
: a parlor-car or sleeping-car attendant who waits on passengers and makes up berths
4
: a person who does routine cleaning (as in a hospital or office)
portered; portering; porters
: to transport or carry as or as if by a porter
: to act as a porter
Synonyms
Examples of porter in a Sentence
Noun (1)
he generously tipped the porter for hailing a taxi
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Peterson, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024
Great Lakes Nosferatu: The Perfect Movie Companion Cleveland, Ohio based Great Lakes Brewing Co. is known for quality beers and one of the best porters (Edmund Fitzgerald, delicious!) available in the U.S.
—Em Sauter, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Helen Regan, CNN, 5 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for porter 
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.
Noun
In a train station, my father waits on the bench the porter shined in the wee hours
of whatever day this is.
—Katie Peterson, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024
Great Lakes Nosferatu: The Perfect Movie Companion Cleveland, Ohio based Great Lakes Brewing Co. is known for quality beers and one of the best porters (Edmund Fitzgerald, delicious!) available in the U.S.
—Em Sauter, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
Sang Hnin Lian said Chin people have been used as human shields in war in the past, and forced to porter or guide the military.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 5 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for porter
Articles Related to porter
Dictionary Entries Near porter
Cite this Entry
“Porter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porter. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
porter
1 of 2 noun
por·ter
ˈpōrt-ər 
ˈpȯrt-
chiefly British
porter
2 of 2 noun1
: a person who carries baggage (as at a hotel)
2
: a railroad employee who waits on passengers
3
: a dark heavy ale
Biographical Definition
Porter
2 of 7biographical name (2)
David 1780–1843 and his son David Dixon 1813–1891 American naval officers
Porter
3 of 7biographical name (3)
Eliot Furness 1901–1990 American photographer
Porter
4 of 7biographical name (4)
Gene 1868–1924 née Stratton American novelist
Porter
5 of 7biographical name (5)
Katherine Anne 1890–1980 American writer
Porter
6 of 7biographical name (6)
Noah 1811–1892 American philosopher and lexicographer
Porter
7 of 7biographical name (7)
William Sydney 1862–1910 pseudonym
O. Henry
(ˈ)ō-ˈhen-rē
American short-story writer
American short-story writer
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share