Wordwyrt

portcullis

Meaninga gate

Common meaning: a heavy grille lowered to shut a gateway

Journey through time

  1. Latinporta‘a gate’source
  2. Old Frenchporte coleice‘sliding gate’source
  3. Middle Englishportcullisesource
  4. Englishmeaning shiftssliding gate → a heavy grille lowered to shut a gatewayportcullis‘a heavy grille lowered to shut a gateway’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.
  • US IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.

Origin: Built on Latin porta ‘a gate’.

Roots

Related words

passport

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