Meaning
tailgate, boot lid, hatch
- a large hinged rear door on a car, van, or airplane (for passengers, cargo, or luggage)
In a sentence
Ha aperto il portellone posteriore dell'auto per caricare le valigie.
He opened the car's tailgate to load the suitcases.
L'equipaggio ha chiuso il portellone dell'aereo prima della partenza.
The crew closed the aircraft door before departure.
Il portellone del furgone si è bloccato e non si apre.
The van's rear door got jammed and won't open.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| portellone | masculine · singular |
| portelloni | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Augmentative in origin from 'portello', but functions as an independent lexical item.
- Refers to rear doors or hatchbacks of vehicles and cargo/boarding doors on planes.