purport
UK: pəˈpɔːt | US: pərˈpɔːrt
v. to claim or profess, often falsely or misleadingly
n. the meaning or gist of something (e.g., speech, document)
Derived from Old French purporter ("to convey, carry forward"), combining pur- (a variant of por-, meaning "forward") and porter ("to carry"). The Latin roots are pro- (forward) and portare (to carry). Over time, the word evolved to imply the "claimed meaning" or "apparent intention" of something, often with a nuance of skepticism (e.g., "what it purports to be"). The dual meaning reflects how an idea or document "carries forward" a stated message, whether truthful or not.
The document purports to be an official government statement.
His speech had a clear purport: to unite the team under a common goal.
The article purports scientific evidence but lacks credible sources.
She questioned the purport of his ambiguous remarks.
The contract’s purport was misunderstood by both parties.