portable

[ pawr-tuh-buhl, pohr- ]

adjective

1. capable of being transported or conveyed:

   a portable stage.

2. easily carried or conveyed by hand:

   I found a lightweight, portable propane stove for our trekking holiday.

3. Computers. (of data sets, software, etc.) capable of being used on different computer systems.
4. Obsolete. endurable.

noun

1. something that is easily carried by hand, especially as distinguished from a counterpart that is harder or less convenient to move:

   Of their three television sets, one is a portable.

portable

/ ˈpɔːtəbəl /

adjective

1. able to be carried or moved easily, esp by hand
2. (of software, files, etc) able to be transferred from one type of computer system to another
3. archaic.
   able to be endured; bearable

noun

1. an article designed to be readily carried by hand, such as a television, typewriter, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈportably, adverb
• ˌportaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• porta·bly adverb
• non·porta·ble adjective
• un·porta·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of portable¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin portābilis; port ⁵, -able

Word History and Origins

Origin of portable¹

C14: from Late Latin portābilis, from Latin portāre to carry

Example Sentences

“People are wanting to restore all sorts, like Sony Walkmans, radio tape decks, and portable CD players they had and loved as teenagers. There’s a lot of nostalgia there.”

From BBC

Detectives later discovered he had been living in a van kitted out with a bed, a carpet and a portable toilet.

From BBC

The group's previous work includes creating a portable testing library to match phages to otherwise untreatable antibiotic-resistant infections, a contamination test incorporated into food packaging, and a temperature-stable storage system for live vaccines.

From Science Daily

The city provides the sites with portable toilets, while outreach workers come by weekly to drop off bottled water and check in on people, encampment residents told the BBC.

From BBC

Notre Dame agreed to bring in portable lights for the broadcast.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compact
• convenient
• handy
• lightweight