portfolio

noun

port·​fo·​lio pȯrt-ˈfō-lē-ˌō 

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

Today, Mike is the Chef, Owner, and Founder of Lindsey Food Group, which features a portfolio of standout destinations. —Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

The move allows the administration to proceed, for now, with mass firings that slashed nearly half of the agency's workforce in March as well as other actions, such as shifting management of the federal student loan portfolio. —ABC News, 14 July 2025

Among the most important decisions is where to put management of federal student loans, a $1.6 trillion portfolio affecting nearly 43 million borrowers. —Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025

Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 July 2025

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

Rhymes for portfolio

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

portfolio

noun

port·​fo·​lio pōrt-ˈfō-lē-ˌō 

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 

: the securities held by an investor : the commercial paper held by a financial institution (as a bank)