portfolio

American  

[pawrt-foh-lee-oh, pohrt-] / pɔrtˈfoʊ liˌoʊ, poʊrt- /

noun

• portfolios
  plural

1. 

   a flat, portable case for carrying loose papers, drawings, etc.

2. such a case for carrying documents of a government department.

3. the total holdings of the securities, commercial paper, etc., of a financial institution or private investor.

4. the office or post of a minister of state or member of a cabinet.

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portfolio British  

/ pɔːtˈfəʊlɪəʊ /

noun

1. a flat case, esp of leather, used for carrying maps, drawings, etc

2. the contents of such a case, such as drawings, paintings, or photographs, that demonstrate recent work

   an art student's portfolio

3. such a case used for carrying ministerial or state papers

4. the responsibilities or role of the head of a government department

   the portfolio for foreign affairs

5. a cabinet minister who is not responsible for any government department

6. the complete investments held by an individual investor or by a financial organization

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• portfolios
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of portfolio

1715–25; < Italian portafoglio, equivalent to porta-, stem of portare to carry (< Latin portāre ) + foglio leaf, sheet (< Latin folium; see foil ²)

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Explanation

A portfolio is a large, flat briefcase used to hold papers and other loose materials, like maps or artwork. A portfolio is usually used to transport important documents, like examples of your graphic design work if you’re an artist. The noun portfolio has its roots in the similarly-sounding Latin portafoglio “a case for carrying loose papers.” Notice, within that word, two other words — there’s porta, meaning “carry,” and foglio, meaning “sheet, leaf.” In English, think portable folio, or papers that can be carried. Also, portfolio can refer to the duties of a government official or the collection of investments held by a financial company.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

portfolio portfolios

“Social Security, taxes, insurance and portfolio withdrawals are interconnected. Making each decision in isolation can create unnecessary costs. You may be planning for another 30 years or more.”

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

Since entering the LNG business in 1969, Mitsubishi Corp. has built an extensive portfolio with interests in 13 LNG projects globally.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Elections will create winners and losers in individual industries, but I’d rather own businesses capable of prospering across political cycles than build a portfolio around predicting Washington.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 1, 2026

“A lot more scrutiny is going on in the bond market,” said Matt Wrzesniewsky, head of fixed-income client portfolio Management at Vanguard.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026

Even without the fair he faced an intimidating portfolio of works in progress, chief among them the grounds of Biltmore, the Vanderbilt estate in North Carolina.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Meanwhile once the company’s shares are listed, they quickly will find their way into the retirement portfolios of millions of middle-class American voters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Greater collaboration would let investors assess their portfolios, test their assumptions and estimate a social money multiplier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Before he served as head of state, Herzog was elected to Israel's parliament in 2003 and held portfolios including housing, tourism and welfare.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

“I think people are cautious to add more AI and tech risk into their portfolios, because they just know there’s going to be more issuance to come.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026

“Of course I’m sure. Your flyer stood out from the class. And of all the portfolios I asked students to submit on the first day of class, yours was the most impressive!”

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

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