What is "porte-cochere"

Carriage \Car"riage\, n. [OF. cariage luggage, carriage, chariage carriage, cart, baggage, F. charriage, cartage, wagoning, fr. OF. carier, charier, F. charrier, to cart. See Carry.]

1. That which is carried; burden; baggage. [Obs.]

   David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage.
   --1. Sam. xvii. 2

2. And after those days we took up our carriages and went up to Jerusalem.
   --Acts. xxi. 15.

   2. The act of carrying, transporting, or conveying.

   Nine days employed in carriage.
   --Chapman.

3. The price or expense of carrying.

4. That which carries of conveys, as:

   1. A wheeled vehicle for persons, esp. one designed for elegance and comfort.

   2. A wheeled vehicle carrying a fixed burden, as a gun carriage.

   3. A part of a machine which moves and carries of supports some other moving object or part.

   4. A frame or cage in which something is carried or supported; as, a bell carriage.

5. The manner of carrying one's self; behavior; bearing; deportment; personal manners.

   His gallant carriage all the rest did grace.
   --Stirling.

6. The act or manner of conducting measures or projects; management.

   The passage and whole carriage of this action.
   --Shak.

   Carriage horse, a horse kept for drawing a carriage.

   Carriage porch (Arch.), a canopy or roofed pavilion covering the driveway at the entrance to any building. It is intended as a shelter for those who alight from vehicles at the door; -- sometimes erroneously called in the United States porte-coch[`e]re.

gateway for carriages, 1690s, from French porte-cochère, from porte "gate" (see port (n.2)) + cochère, fem. adjective from coche "coach" (see coach (n.)).

1. n. a carriage entrance passing through a building to an enclosed courtyard

2. canopy extending out from a building entrance to shelter those getting in and out of vehicles

A porte-cochère , coach gate or carriage porch is a porch- or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage (or motor vehicle) can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.

In modern usage, portes-cochère are still used on some types of buildings such as major public buildings and hotels, where they provide pick-up and drop-off space, for example for dignitaries, taxis and buses.