porte cochère

plural porte cochères · plural portes cochères · alternative porte-cochère · alternative porte-cochere · alternative porte cochere

1. historicalarchitectureA gateway through which horse carriages pass, often into a courtyard.

   [M]oſt of the Houſes having Porte-Cocheres, and Court-yards, for the Conveniency and the Uſe of the Families.

   1724 April 17 (Gregorian calendar), [John Macky], “Letter I”, in A Journey through the Austrian Netherlands. […], London: […] J. Pemberton, […], and J. Hooke, […], published 1725, →OCLC, page 4

   5 more examples

   We had admirable Noſes to ſmell out proper Places, and your Houſes with Porte-Cocheres were ſure to have enough of our Company.

   1708, Mateo Aleman, chapter III, in [anonymous], transl., The Life of Guzman d’Alfarache: Or, The Spanish Rogue. […], volume I, London: […] R. Bonwick, […], →OCLC, part I, book III, page 400

   As this Palace [Kensington Palace] opens to the VVeſt, there are Tvvo great VVings built, for receiving ſuch as neceſſarily attend the Court, and a large Port-cocher at the Entrance, vvith a Poſtern, and a Stone Gallery, on the South-ſide of the Court, vvhich leads to the great Stair-caſe.

   1742, [Daniel Defoe], “Letter III. Containing a Description of Part of Middlesex; and of the Whole County of Hertford.”, in A Tour thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain. […], 3rd edition, volume II, London: […] J[ohn] Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 160

   I at first perceived, at the exterior, only a long wall, in the center of which was a porte cochère. Not far from this door stood a vehicle drawn by two superb horses. […] Under the influence of this increased interest and curiosity, I knocked at the porte cochère, which was opened. Not perceiving any porter's lodge, I advanced towards a lofty square pavilion, which was situated between the yard and the garden.

   1846, Eugene Süe, “Regina”, in Martin the Foundling; or, The Memoirs of a Valet de Chambre, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 246, column 1

   The whole domain is shut up from the street by a great porte-cochère, or portal, calculated for the admission of carriages. This consists of two massy folding doors, that swing heavily opn upon a spacious entrance, passing under the front of the edifice into the court-yard.

   1855, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “[Sketches in Paris in 1825: From the Travelling Note-book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.] The Parisian Hotel.”, in Wolfert’s Roost and Other Papers, […], New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam & Co., […], →OCLC, page 193

   That distinguishing feature of the street-architecture of Paris—the porte cochère—has its prototype still in the City of London, though it is almost as seldom met with now as the pointed gable, the latticed window, or the overhanging story of a much earlier period. […] But exceptions to the rule may yet be found, and here and there the curious seeker may stumble, even at the present hour, upon a genuine porte cochère.

   1857, Dudley Costello, “The Millionaire of Mincing Lane. A Tale of the Times.”, in Bentley’s Miscellany, volume XLI, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, chapter I (The Richest Heiress in England), page 5

2. architectureA porch, or roof without walls over a driveway, next to the entrance of a building which a vehicle can stop in or under to allow passengers to embark or disembark without being affected by bad weather.

   Near-synonym: carport (not always differentiated)

   5 more examples

   This killing of two birds with one stone, making a porte-cochère and a second-story balcony at the same time, was so attractive to Mrs. Smith that it turned the scale in favour of a change. Her stable and carriage-drive were removed to the other side of the house, and Mrs. John rejoiced as an apparent joint-proprietor of the admired summer-house.

   1883 August 15, R. C. Gardner, “All Out-doors.—VI.”, in Albion W[inegar] Tourgée, editor, The Continent: An Illustrated Weekly Magazine, volume IV, number 7 (number 79 overall), Philadelphia, Pa.: Our Continent Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 208, column 2

   But Miss Thorn relieved the situation by laughing aloud, […] By the time we reached the house we were thanking our stars she had come. Mrs. Cooke came out from under the port-cochère to welcome her.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, pages 69–70

   I stopped the Packard under the porte-cochere and emptied my pockets out on the seat.

   1939, Raymond Chandler, chapter 8, in The Big Sleep, New York, N.Y.: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, published August 1992, →ISBN, page 39

   Actually, a porte cochère is a canopy extending from a building to shelter people getting in and out of vehicles. Not too many people have porte cochères—French guys, mainly.

   2004, Gary A. Dias, Robbie Dingeman, “Your Home is Your Castle”, in Honolulu CSI: An Introduction to Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation, Honolulu, Hi.: Bess Press, →ISBN, page 162

   The station remains connected to the hotel by a glass canopy or porte-cochère that was much admired by John Betjeman, but you could stand all day under that canopy and not see anyone walk from station to hotel.

   2012, Andrew Martin, “The Expansion of the Metropolitan and the Expansion of the District – and a Pause for Thought”, in Underground Overground: A Passenger’s History of the Tube, London: Profile Books, →ISBN, page 78

   Synonyms: carport