Portals

Text Mining

Description: Probably one of the most misused terms on the Internet.

Dictionary definition: por·tal
Pronunciation: 'pOr-t^&l, 'por-
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin portale city gate, porch, from neuter of portalis of a gate, from Latin porta gate.  Date: 14th century
1 : DOOR, ENTRANCE; especially : a grand or imposing one
2 : the whole architectural composition surrounding doorways and porches of a church
3 : the approach or entrance to a bridge or tunnel
4 : a communicating part or area of an organism; specifically : the point at which something (as a pathogen) enters the body (Merriam-Webste)

Internet definition: Usually used as a marketing term to described a Web site that is or is intended to be the first place people see when using the Web. Typically a Portal site has a catalog of web sites, a search engine, or both. A Portal site may also offer email and other service to entice people to use that site as their main point of entry (hence portal) to the Web. Unisys- ABCs of e-Business 

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