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porthole

/ˌpɔrtˈhoʊl/
/ˈpɔthəʊl/
IPA guide

Other forms: portholes

When you get the window seat on an airplane, you'll be sitting beside a porthole, which is the name for a window on an aircraft or ship.

It might sound fun to go on an ocean cruise — but it'll cost extra to stay in a cabin with a porthole. Originally, porthole applied only to the round windows on ships, initially used for firing weapons, and later simply a way to let in light and air. Though port is a common nautical term, porthole has a different source: the French porte, or "door," which first referred to the windows' watertight covers.

Definitions of porthole
  1. noun
    a window in a ship or airplane
    see moresee less
    type of:
    window
    a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
  2. noun
    an opening (in a wall or ship or armored vehicle) for firing through
    synonyms: embrasure, port
    see moresee less
    type of:
    opening
    a vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made
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