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.
Through the portico entrance, stone flooring and dramatic archways lead in and out of large lounge areas and palatial bedrooms. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 24 July 2025 Seven doors — four steel-and-glass sliders and three solid, handcrafted wood portals — open onto the courtyard’s circular portico, creating a seamless blend of indoor and outdoor spaces, reminiscent of the early California Spanish missions. David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2025 Falke is partial to their selection of French portico clocks: 19th-century timepieces with classical columns and gilded pendulums. David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2025 With its wrap-around, colonnaded portico, surely this Gilded Age structure left its latter-day beholders awestruck at first sight. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 May 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 4 Aug. 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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