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Added 9 October 2026

portcullis

/pɔːtˈkʌl.ɪs/ noun

Latin root: colāre Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about portcullis at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Gate consisting of an iron or wooden grating that hangs in the entry to a castle or fortified town; can be lowered to prevent passage.

Origin

From Middle English portcolyse, from Old French porte colëice, from porte (“door”) + feminine of colëiz (“sliding”), ultimately from Latin colāre.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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