portfolio

noun

port·​fo·​lio pȯrt-ˈfō-lē-ˌō How to pronounce portfolio (audio)
plural portfolios
1
: a hinged cover or flexible case for carrying loose papers, pictures, or pamphlets
2
[from the use of such a case to carry documents of state] : the office and functions of a minister of state or member of a cabinet
3
: the securities held by an investor : the commercial paper held by a financial house (such as a bank)
4
: a set of pictures (such as drawings or photographs) usually bound in book form or loose in a folder
5
: a selection of a student's work (such as papers and tests) compiled over a period of time and used for assessing performance or progress

Did you know?

Portfolio is partly based on the Latin folium, meaning "leaf, sheet". A portfolio usually represents a portable showcase of your talents. Today actual portfolios are used less than they used to be by artists, since most commercial artists have a website dedicated to showing off their art. But portfolio in its other common meaning is extremely common. Not so long ago, a broker would keep each of his or her clients' investments in a separate notebook or portfolio. Today the investment portfolio, like an artist's portfolio, usually takes the form of a Web page, even though everyone still uses the same old word.

Examples of portfolio in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Managing this diverse portfolio of food sources tends to exceed what a food bank’s fleet and staff can handle. — John Lowrey, The Conversation, 6 July 2026 At the end of June, Trent had a portfolio of 1,312 stores, the company said. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 July 2026 Legends was the seventh open-air shopping center to join Tanger’s real estate portfolio since 2022. — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026 At the same time, some of the larger game studios Microsoft has acquired are still apparently considered very desirable parts of its portfolio. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for portfolio

Word History

Etymology

Italian portafoglio, from portare to carry (from Latin) + foglio leaf, sheet, from Latin folium — more at blade

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of portfolio was in 1713

Rhymes for portfolio

See All Rhymes for portfolio

Browse Nearby Words

portfire
portfolio
portfolio investment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portfolio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portfolio. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

portfolio

noun
port·​fo·​lio pōrt-ˈfō-lē-ˌō How to pronounce portfolio (audio)
pȯrt-
plural portfolios
1
: a case for carrying papers or drawings
2
: the office and functions of a minister of state or member of a cabinet
3
: the stocks and bonds held by an investor or investment firm
4
: a set of pictures (as drawings or photographs) usually bound in book form or loose in a folder
5
: a selection of a student's work (as papers or art) collected over a period of time
Etymology

an altered form of earlier porto folio "portfolio," from Italian portafoglio (same meaning), from portare "to carry" and foglio "leaf, sheet"; portare from Latin portare "to carry" and foglio from Latin folium "leaf" — related to foliage, portable

Legal Definition

portfolio

noun
port·​fo·​lio pōrt-ˈfō-lē-ō How to pronounce portfolio (audio)
: the securities held by an investor : the commercial paper held by a financial institution (as a bank)

More from Merriam-Webster on portfolio

Nglish: Translation of portfolio for Spanish Speakers

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