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

Financial and investment analysts These analysts work with portfolio managers and investment teams, conducting research to decide how money should be invested. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 19 June 2026

Until now, the expectation around the iPhone 18 family is that the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max would be priced similarly to the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, with the foldable iPhone Ultra carrying a luxury price tag to balance the portfolio. —Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

IndieWire partnered with Universal Studio Group for USG University, a series of panels celebrating the outstanding artistry and artisans behind the 2025–2026 television season across NBCUniversal’s portfolio of shows. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 18 June 2026

At Brooks, Glycerin has led the portfolio as the brand’s top seller in the first quarter, at up 34 percent year-over-year globally. —Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 18 June 2026

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)