torii

noun

to·​rii ˈtȯr-ē-ˌē How to pronounce torii (audio)
plural torii
: a Japanese gateway of light construction commonly built at the approach to a Shinto shrine

Illustration of torii

Illustration of torii

Examples of torii 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 shrine buildings are hidden in the dense forest but are well advertised by its huge torii gates, with one standing prominently in the lake and the other two over the main street of Moto-Hakone. — John Clifford, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024 Guests entered the fourth Annual Cherry Blossom Festival on March 21 through a torii gate at the Hot Springs Convention Center surrounded by branches of tissue-paper cherry blossoms and to the sound of a taiko drummer. — Cary Jenkins, Arkansas Online, 4 Apr. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of torii was in 1727

Rhymes for torii

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torii
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Cite this Entry

“Torii.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torii. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about torii

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