Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Carried or moved with ease.
  • adjective Capable of being transferred from one employer to another. Used of an employee benefit.
  • adjective Computers Relating to or being software that can run on two or more kinds of computers or with two or more kinds of operating systems.
  • adjective Obsolete Bearable; endurable.
  • noun Something, such as a light or small typewriter, that can be carried or moved with ease.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Capable of being carried in the hand or about the person; capable of being carried or transported from place to place; easily carried or conveyed.
  • Supportable; tolerable.
  • Capable of carrying or transporting.
  • Accessible (?).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Capable of being borne or carried; easily transported; conveyed without difficulty.
  • adjective obsolete Possible to be endured; supportable.
  • adjective See under Forge.
  • adjective See under Steam engine.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Able to be carried or easily moved.
  • adjective computing Of software, able to be run on multiple hardware or operating systems.
  • noun A portable toilet; a self-contained outhouse.
  • noun Any temporary building that is portable, especially one located at a school.
  • noun video games A hand-held video gaming device.
  • noun computing a portable computer

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of a motor designed to be attached to the outside of a boat's hull
  • noun a small light typewriter; usually with a case in which it can be carried
  • adjective easily or conveniently transported

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin portābilis, from Latin portāre, to carry; see per- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French portable.

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