NYT Dictionary

PORT

/poɹt/
NounAdjectiveVerbPOHRTGrade 6

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A place on the coast at which ships can shelter, or dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Indo-European *pértusder. Proto-Italic *portus Latin portusbor. Old English port English port From Old English port, borrowed from Latin portus (“port, harbour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”) (and thus a distant doublet of ford). The directional sense, attested since at least the 1500s, derives from ancient vessels with the steering oar on the right (see etymology of starboard), which therefore had to moor with their left sides facing the dock or wharf. Doublet of fjard, fjord, firth, ford, and Portus.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

harbourhavenharbour cityharbour townport citybackboardlarboardleeboardleftwick

Antonyms

starboard

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 6 recorded puzzles:

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