Portia2
(ˈpɔəʃə)
The name of the heroine of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice used as the type of a female advocate or barrister. Hence ˈPortian a., pertaining to or resembling Portia.
| 1901 Westm. Gaz. 22 Jan. 12/2 The Paris Portia's First Success... Mdlle. Chauvan, the young lady barrister, made her first appearance yesterday in the Paris courts. 1909 Ibid. 17 Aug. 2/1 China..then took refuge in an interpretation of the letter of the Treaty which was quite Portian in its meticulousness. 1923 Brewer's Dict. Phr. & Fable (new ed.) 868/1 Portia, a rich heiress and ‘lady barrister’ in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice... Her name is often used allusively for a female advocate. 1932 E. Weekley Words & Names 33 Portia, which is good journalese for a lady barrister. 1977 J. Mitchell Half-Life ii. 39 Good Christ, they've brought back the people's Portia. |