English word porter has two competing etymologies: when refering to "a person in control of the entrance to a building", it comes from Latin porta (gate, entrance, passage, door), whereas when refering to "a person who carries luggage and related objects", it comes from Latin porto (I carry, bear. I convey, bring.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| porto | Latin (lat) | I carry, bear. I convey, bring. |
| porta | Latin (lat) | (figuratively) way, means. Entrance, passage, door. Gate, especially of a city. |
| portatus | Latin (lat) | |
| portarius | Late Latin (LL) | |
| portator | Late Latin (LL) | |
| portier | Old French (fro) | |
| porteor | Old French (fro) | |
| portour | Anglo-Norman (xno) | |
| porter | English (en) | (Ireland) Stout (malt brew).. (bowling) An employee who clears and cleans tables and puts bowling balls away.. A person in control of the entrance to a building.. A strong, dark ale, originally favored by porters, similar to a stout but less strong. To serve as a porter; to carry. |