English
portal
Portal comes from Old French portal ‘gate’, from porte ‘door’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to pass through/over’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to pass through/over’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pr̥téh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portā‘gate’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEporta‘gate, especially of a city’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400porte‘door’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400portal‘gate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a portal’
- Englishearliest quotation 1667same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to pass through/over’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pr̥téh₂reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portā‘gate’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEporta‘gate, especially of a city’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400porte‘door’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400portal‘gate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a portal’
- Englishearliest quotation 1667same form
Earliest quotation: 1667, John Milton, Book III: “Thick with sparkling orient gems / The portal shone.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to pass through/over’
first, before, far, per, price, private, press, further, practice, fear, pre, primary, prime, appreciate, prize, prior, pregnant, opportunity, afford, precious, praise, practical, ford, privilege, parade, par, interpretation, ferry, pirate, fare, forth, pardon, primitive, prix, interpreter, pragmatic, privy, prism, proton, peril, 144 more
through Proto-Indo-European *pr̥téh₂
through Proto-Italic *portā ‘gate’
support, report, transport, sport, importance, export, import, rapport, deport, comport, 23 more
through Latin porta ‘gate, especially of a city’
Today it means
noun An entrance, entry point, or means of entry.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / portal