portion

1 of 2

noun

por·​tion ˈpȯr-shən 

1

: an individual's part or share of something: such as

a

: a share received by gift or inheritance

b

: dowry

c

: enough food especially of one kind to serve one person at one meal

2

: an individual's lot, fate, or fortune : one's share of good and evil

3

: an often limited part of a whole

portion

2 of 2

verb

portioned; portioning ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)niŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to divide into portions : distribute

portioned out the food equally

2

: to allot a dowry to : dower

Synonyms

Noun

• destiny
• fate

Verb

• distribute
• dispense
• provide
• allocate
• divide

Choose the Right Synonym for portion

part, portion, piece, member, division, section, segment, fragment mean something less than the whole.

part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

fate, destiny, lot, portion, doom mean a predetermined state or end.

fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome.

the fate of the submarine is unknown

destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end.

the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world

lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance

it was her lot to die childless

, portion implying the apportioning of good and evil.

remorse was his daily portion

doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate.

if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain

Examples of portion in a Sentence

Noun

A portion of the donations will be given to the orphanage.

Portions of land were used for farming.

A considerable portion of the city was flooded.

The restaurant gives large portions.

She divided the pie into six equal portions.

Verb

The work was portioned to each member of the staff.

portioned out the medical supplies equally

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Central Texas is reeling from destructive and deadly floodwaters on the Fourth of July, spurred by nearly unprecedented rainfall that swelled the Guadalupe River — drowning portions of the state's Hill Country. —Adam Carlson, People.com, 7 July 2025

When Harris was asked about the Biden administration’s relationship with Israel’s prime minister, CBS producers used different portions of her answer on two programs. —Robert W. Wood, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025

Verb

But between shopping for ingredients, portioning them out, and finding space to store all the superfoods—from açaí to spirulina—making a smoothie from scratch every morning can feel like a lot. —Betty Gold Kider, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 June 2025

After its time in bourbon casks, the whiskey was portioned into: French Muscat casks, which added floral and earthy notes—lavender, honey, even something savory. —Emily Price, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English porcioun, porcion "part allotted to a person or institution, share, section into which a thing is divided, quantity", borrowed from Anglo-French porciun, porcioun, borrowed from Latin portiōn-, portiō "ratio, proportion, part, share" (earliest in the phrase prō portiōne "in the degree proper to each, proportionately"), probably by dissimilation from *prōrtiōne, by univerbation and syncope from prō ratiōne "in proportion" (with ratiō "reckoning, calculation, proportion") — more at pro- entry 2, reason entry 1

Note: If correct, this etymology represents the first of two univerbations with the preposition/prefix prō̆, the first with ratiōn- (whence *prō ratiōne > *prōratiōne > *prōrtiōne > portiōn-, portiō), the second with the newly formed noun portiō (whence prō portiōne > *prōportiōne > prōportiōn-, prōportiō—see proportion entry 1). Also suggested is derivation of portiō from partītiōn-, partītiō "sharing out, distribution, division of a speech" (see partition entry 1), assuming *prō partiōne reduced from *prō partītione; however, the noun partītiō is not attested before Cicero, while portiō is used already by Plautus.

Verb

Middle English portionen, porciounen "to divide into portions," borrowed from Anglo-French porcioner, borrowed from Medieval Latin portiōnāre, derivative of Latin portiōn-, portiō "ratio, proportion, part, share" — more at portion entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing portion

• pre-portion

Rhymes for portion

• torsion
• abortion
• apportion
• contortion
• distortion
• extortion
• proportion
• disproportion

Kids Definition

portion

1 of 2 noun

por·​tion ˈpōr-shən 

ˈpȯr-

1

a

: one's share of a whole

a portion of food

b

: dowry

2

: one's lot or fate

3

: a part of a whole

portion

2 of 2 verb

portioned; portioning -sh(ə-)niŋ 

: apportion