2 syllables: Porte Co, chere. Stress on Porte Co.
pawrt-KOH-shur
/ˈpɔɹt ˈkoʊʃɚ/
Porte Cochere is pronounced pawrt-KOH-shur (/ˈpɔɹt ˈkoʊʃɚ/). It has two syllables (Porte Co-chere), with the stress on "Porte Co". As a noun, porte Cochère is a noun referring to a covered porte-cochère drive or entryway at a building, allowing vehicles to stop for passengers to alight under shelter. The term is used especially in French-influenced architecture and high-end hotels. It denotes architectural porte-cochère features and related porte-cochère entries, often grand and architecturally distinctive.
nounPorte Cochère is a noun referring to a covered porte-cochère drive or entryway at a building, allowing vehicles to stop for passengers to alight under shelter. The term is used especially in French-influenced architecture and high-end hotels. It denotes architectural porte-cochère features and related porte-cochère entries, often grand and architecturally distinctive.
- You often flatten porte to a simple 'port' or 'poor-t'; distinguish by keeping the final e-linked vowel subtle: /pɔːr/ with a short, controlled t. - The second word cochère can be mispronounced as 'co-sheer' or 'co-sher'; aim for /koʃɛʁ/ with a clear /ʃ/ and a rhotic-friendly final -er sound. - Some speakers drop the French influence by reducing the stress or running the two words together without a noticeable boundary; practice with a light pause between words: /pɔːr koʃɛʁ/.
"The hotel entrance was grand, with a porte cochère that shielded guests from rain as they arrived."
"Architects specified a porte cochère to create a covered drop-off area for guests."
"The mansion featured a stone porte cochère, linking the street to the main foyer."
Pronounce as pohrt koh-SHEHR (US/UK: /pɔːr t koʊˈʃɛər/ in careful speech). The stress is on the second word’s second syllable: por-TE CO-CHÈRE in anglicized spelling, but closely matching French pronunciation porte (port) with a silent e and cochère rhymes with “share” with an alveolar t onset for the second element. Start with a rounded, full back-of-the-mouth vowel in porte, then move to a light, rounded o in co, and finish with a clear “shehr” or “share”-like ending. Listen for the French-derived “ch” as a single affricate-like /ʃ/ followed by /ɛʁ/ in many adaptions. IPA guidance: US/UK: /pɔːr t koʊˈʃɛər/; refined French-like: /pɔʁt kɔʃɛʁ/ depending on speaker. Audio reference: aim for a clean, two-syllable second word with a post-vocalic /r/ or non-rhotic variant depending on accent.
Common mistakes include treating porte as “port” with a hard final t and misplacing stress on the first syllable (por-TE). Another error is pronouncing cochère with an exaggerated silent e or pronouncing the liaison as “co-shear” instead of /koʃɛʁ/. To correct: keep porte as /pɔːr/ (or /pɔːt/ in some accents) with a light, short t, and render cochère as /koʃɛʁ/ with a clear /ʃ/ and rhotless or rhotic ending depending on dialect. Practice by isolating each word: porte (/pɔːr/), cochère (/koʃɛʁ/), then blend with a slight pause: /pɔːr koʃɛʁ/.
In US English, porte might be /pɔːr/ and cochère may take /koʊˈʃɛər/ with rhoticity for some speakers. UK pronunciation leans toward non-rhoticity with /pɔːt kəʊˈʃeə/ and tighter final vowels. Australian tends to a mid back rounded /pɔːt/ and /kɒˈʃeə/ with less intrusive r and vowel quality closer to /ɔː/ and /eə/. Across all, the second word often receives primary stress: CO-CHÈRE. Differences center on rhoticity, vowel height, and final vowel realization.
Key challenges include the French origin with silent or lightly pronounced endings, the two-word boundary, and the /ʃ/ sound in cochère. The combination of a French-derived diphthong in porte and a final r-like vowel can trip up speakers who expect simpler English endings. Additionally, the second word features a /ʃ/ cluster and a final /ɛʁ/ that may be reduced or modified in non-French contexts. Focus on the smooth /ʃ/ and the final vowel shape, with a crisp pause between words.
An often-overlooked detail is the subtle vowel transitions between the two words and the optional assimilation: some speakers reduce /pɔːr/ to a shorter /pɔ/ before /koʃɛʁ/, especially in rapid speech, affecting rhythm. Another is the final r realization: non-rhotic accents may omit or barely voice the final /r/, while rhotic accents retain it. Paying attention to juxta-positioned coarticulation helps: the /ʃ/ in cochère should be crisp and not swallowed, and the /k/ should be released cleanly before /oʃɛʁ/.
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US: rhotic, broader vowels; UK: non-rhotic, tighter vowel space, /pɔːt kəʊˈʃeə/ with /əʊ/ and /ʃeə/; AU: similar to UK but with Australian vowel shifts; watch vowel height and rhoticity differences. Vowels: porte often /ɔː/ or /ɔ/, cochère /koʃɛː/ or /koʃɛr/; final r may be heavy in US, light or silent in UK/AU.
Porte cochère comes from French: porte meaning “door” or “gate” and cochère (literally “coachman” or “coach”). Historically, it referred to a covered turnpike or archway through which a coach or carriage could pass to the entrance of a building, offering shelter for passengers. The term entered English architectural vocabulary in the 19th century, reflecting French influence on Beaux-Arts and French Second Empire architecture. In early use, it described a driveway under a protective structure, designed to keep carriages dry during arrival. Over time, the meaning extended to the architectural feature itself, not just the passage, and is now a standard term in hospitality and luxury architecture. First known uses appear in architectural plans and design treatises from the mid-1800s, often paired with terms like “cour d’honneur” and “arcade” to describe sheltered entrances. The pronunciation in English adapted from French preserves the accent, though anglicized stress patterns sometimes shift in American usage. The phrase remains a distinctive, high-society architectural feature signifying formality, shelter, and arrival experience.
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Words that rhyme with "Porte Cochere"
-ere sounds
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