portico

noun

por·​ti·​co ˈpȯr-ti-ˌkō How to pronounce portico (audio)
plural porticoes or porticos
: a colonnade or covered ambulatory especially in classical architecture and often at the entrance of a building

Illustration of portico

Illustration of portico

Examples of portico 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.
The Jason Hargrove Transit Center is part of a $31 million redevelopment of a 52,000 square feet former Dairy Cattle Barn, restored portico and an outdoor space, according to the city. Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 10 May 2024 Whitehouse Farm stood in open fields, facing the bleak Essex salt marshes, its columned portico lit by the moon. Heidi Blake, The New Yorker, 29 July 2024 But once construction is complete on the valet portico, likely in mid-October, Nobu will have an all-ages entrance, as well. Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 3 Sep. 2024 The journey is accessed through a route along twenty-three porticoes (portici, in Italian), arcades that serve as the entrance to each region. Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for portico 

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Latin porticus — more at porch

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of portico was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near portico

Cite this Entry

“Portico.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portico. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

portico

noun
por·​ti·​co ˈpōrt-i-ˌkō How to pronounce portico (audio)
ˈpȯrt-
plural porticoes or porticos
: a row of columns supporting a roof at the entrance of a building
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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