Meaning & use
portico
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Meaning
nouncountabletechnical
A roofed entrance or covered walkway supported by columns, especially on a classical building.
Grammar: Countable; plural is 'porticoes' or 'porticos'. Often used with 'a' or 'the'.
Patterns
- a portico with columns
- the portico of a building
- under the portico
Visitors entered the museum through a grand portico supported by six marble columns.
The old courthouse has a beautiful portico facing the town square.
We waited under the portico until the rain stopped.
Word forms
| plural | porticoes |
|---|---|
| plural | porticos |
Common combinations
- a columned portico
- The columned portico gave the library a formal, classical look.
- the main portico
- The main portico is the building's most photographed feature.
- under the portico
- Guests gathered under the portico before the ceremony.
- a portico with columns
- They added a portico with columns to the front of the house.
Synonyms and how they differ
- porch
- A porch is a covered area at the entrance of a house, often without columns; a portico is more formal and specifically columned.
- colonnade
- A colonnade is a row of columns, often forming a covered walkway; it may not be an entrance, while a portico usually marks the entrance to a building.
- portico
- A portico is a type of porch or entrance, but not all porches are porticoes.
Word family
- porticoed adjective
- Having a portico or porticoes.
Commonly confused: portico or portico vs. patio? portico or portico vs. balcony?
portico vs portico vs. patio
A patio is an open, paved area for outdoor sitting, usually without a roof or columns. A portico is a roofed, columned entrance.
portico vs portico vs. balcony
A balcony is a platform that sticks out from a building, often on an upper floor. A portico is at ground level and forms an entrance.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'portico' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A portico is a roofed structure supported by columns, usually at an entrance, so option 2 fits. Option 1 confuses it with a balcony or porch, option 3 confuses it with a garage or carport, and option 4 describes a balcony, not a portico.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “portico”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.