nounnoun

la portière

doorman · porter

C'est une personne qui ouvre la porte et accueille les gens à l'entrée d'un bâtiment.

Word: portier

Language: French

Meaning:

Portier (noun):
- Refers to a doorman or porter; a person who is stationed at the entrance of a building (hotel, apartment, office, theater, etc.) to control access, provide security, greet and assist visitors.
- In some contexts, it can also mean a goalkeeper in sports (particularly soccer/football).

Parts of the word:

port-: Related to "porte" (door) in French.
-ier: A suffix commonly used in French to indicate a person related to a particular thing, action or profession.

So literally, "portier" is someone related to the door.

Synonyms:

For doorman/porter:
- gardien (guardian, caretaker)
- concierge (caretaker, especially in residential buildings)
- huissier (usher or court bailiff — more formal)
For goalkeeper (sports):
- gardien de but (more literal "goalkeeper" term)
- goal (used colloquially)

Antonyms:

No direct antonyms, but in the context of access:
- intrus (intruder) — someone who enters without permission, opposite of person guarding the entrance.

Summary:

The French word portier primarily means a doorman or a gatekeeper, someone who controls entry/exit through doors. It can also mean a goalkeeper in sports, especially football/soccer. The word stems from "porte" (door) and the suffix "-ier" indicating a person performing a role related to doors.