porte

Porte is a French noun meaning a door or gate for entry into a building or enclosure. In general usage it refers to any portal that can be opened and closed, including doors in architecture, cabinet doors, and other entryways. The word appears in numerous compound terms, such as porte-fenêtre (a French window that includes a full-height door) and porte-cochère (a covered passage allowing vehicles to pass from a street to a courtyard).

Etymology: Porte derives from Latin porta, via Old French porte, and is cognate with many Romance-language terms for door or gate.

In architecture, doors vary by mechanism and materials: hinged doors are most common, but sliding, pocket, and revolving doors are also widely used. Construction materials include wood, metal, and composite/engineered panels, often with insulating cores and weatherstripping. The frame, threshold, hinges, and locking hardware determine function and security.

Historically, gates and doors shaped the planning of towns and fortifications. In French cities, "portes" were ceremonial entry points into walls and districts, and many street names preserve these historical gates (for example, Porte de Versailles or Porte Saint-Martin in Paris). The term also appears as a surname and in place names of French origin.