portable

Everyday

1. Light and small enough to be carried or moved easily: «a portable speaker». tree →
2. (noun) A portable thing, like a portable TV or computer. tree →
3. (noun, Canada, US) A temporary classroom building in a school yard. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life: portable chargers, speakers, toilets, heaters. In Canadian and some US schools, «portables» are extra classrooms. In science and design technology: making something portable means making it light and compact. Phrases: «portable charger», «portable speaker», «portable toilet».

Examples

• Take the portable speaker to the beach. tree →
• My phone died, so I used a portable charger. tree →
• Our class has lessons in the portable behind the gym. tree →
• The campsite had portable toilets. tree →
• Laptops are portable computers. tree →
• This heater is portable, so you can move it from room to room. tree →

Note

Spelling: «-able». Opposite: fixed, stationary. Noun: portability. From Latin «portare», to carry (like «porter», «transport»).