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.
This curved portico, four stories high, spans a remarkable 120 feet without a single supporting column. Katharina Kotrba, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 Crickets chirp in the grass beside the driveway, which winds up a bluff, past two towering fir trees and a columned portico, to the side of the building. Blaine Davis, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025 From Jackson's inauguration until President Jimmy Carter's in 1977, the ceremony largely took place outdoors in front of the Capitol's east portico, according to the Library of Congress. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2025 Under the miles of porticos, past the opera house, Ava led me to La Taberna del Re Vallot, a trattoria that is decorated with hundreds of cats—ceramic cats, kitty clocks, pet portraits. Marcia Desanctis, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portico.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portico. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on portico

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