Main Entry: port·fo·lio

Pronunciation: \pȯrt-ˈfō-lē-ˌō\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural port·fo·li·os

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

Date: 1722

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 (as a bank)
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 and tests) compiled over a period of time and used for assessing performance or progress