# portcullis

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɔːtˈkʌl.ɪs/ · frequency rank #78,951

## Definitions
1. A gate in the form of a grating which is lowered into place at the gateway of a castle, a fort, etc.
2. An old English coin from the reign of Elizabeth I, minted for the use of the East India Company, and bearing the picture of a portcullis on the reverse.

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

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/portcullis