torii

[ tawr-ee-ee, tohr- ]
/ ˈtɔr iˌi, ˈtoʊr- /

noun, plural to·ri·i.

(in Japan) a form of decorative gateway or portal, consisting of two upright wooden posts connected at the top by two horizontal crosspieces, commonly found at the entrance to Shinto temples.

Origin of torii

1720–30; < Japanese, equivalent to tori bird + ( w)i perch

Words nearby torii

torfaen, tori, toric, toric lens, tories, torii, torino, torment, tormentil, tormentor, tormé

Example sentences from the Web for torii

British Dictionary definitions for torii

torii
/ (ˈtɔːrɪˌiː) /

noun plural -rii

a gateway, esp one at the entrance to a Japanese Shinto temple

Word Origin for torii

C19: from Japanese, literally: a perch for birds