English Reference
noun

porter

n.
US /ˈpɔɹtɝ/ UK /pˈɔːtɐ/ porter UK spelling porters

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    a person whose job is to carry luggage for travelers at a hotel, airport, or train station.

    a person employed to carry luggage and other loads, especially in a railway station, airport, or hotel.

    Simple

    The porter took our heavy suitcases up to our room as soon as we checked in.

    In context

    Upon our arrival at the terminal, a porter assisted us with our oversized trunks, navigating the crowded platform with impressive efficiency.

    carrierbellhop
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    a person who guards the entrance of a large building, like a hospital or college, and helps visitors.

    an employee in charge of the entrance and maintenance of a large institution or residential building.

    Simple

    If you lose your keys, you should ask the college porter for a spare set.

    In context

    The hospital porter directed the visitors toward the maternity ward before returning to his desk to monitor the security cameras.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Technical Computing

    a person who adapts software so that it can work on a different type of computer or system.

    a programmer who performs the porting of software from one hardware or operating system environment to another.

    Simple

    The lead porter spent months making sure the game worked perfectly on the new console.

    In context

    As a specialist porter, she was tasked with migrating the legacy database architecture to a modern cloud-based infrastructure.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated