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 At the same time, the foundation has said it’s lost more than $15 million over six years on operations across its portfolio. Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Created by Time founder Henry Luce, SI was a part of the Time Inc. portfolio for decades. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024 Your mix of stocks, bonds and other investments can drift over time, and your portfolio objectives change. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 Its transformation from niche computer maker to the most valuable corporation on the planet made its shares a cornerstone of investment portfolios worldwide. Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 In another, Ice-T bent down and posed with his wife and daughter around Chanel's portfolio. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 But that was just Mattel’s first entry into Hollywood, as the storied toy company looks to turn its large portfolio of brands, including Hot Wheels, Fisher Price and American Girls, into content and experiences beyond the mere physical toys. Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Dirt Cake Oreos will only be available for a limited time — but Oreo Thins Tiramisu cookies are a permanent addition to the Oreo brand portfolio. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 By defining two clear segments, Ferrari is hoping to streamline its eyewear portfolio and bring Ferrari fans a more diverse range of specs. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'portfolio.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near portfolio

Cite this Entry

“Portfolio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portfolio. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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)

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