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

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)

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

Dorson is the head of the active investment team and a senior portfolio manager for Global X exchange-traded funds.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

“Markets have a faint smell of a crisis in the making,” said Ed Al-Hussainy, a portfolio manager at Columbia Threadneedle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Kounalakis told The Times in May she would prioritize responsible management of state finances and investment in housing and infrastructure and protect public employee pensions through transparent oversight of the state’s investment portfolio.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Analyst Owen Birrell says a criticism of Transurban following its FY26 result was the lack of incremental portfolio growth over the medium term, in excess of underlying traffic growth and inflation-linked toll rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

There is the problem of my portfolio being full of broken bowls and blobs.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

But it simplifies comparisons to translate complex portfolios into the annuity income each could support.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

Critics argue that the exemption is too broad and should have included only victims whose primary residence was destroyed as opposed to landlords or investors with portfolios of properties.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Though higher rates can cause stock and bond portfolios to suffer, those higher rates also mean that it takes less to secure the same retirement standard of living as before rates started rising.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

A prominent economist doesn’t fear artificial intelligence, but fully embraces it in portfolios.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

I watch them lug suitcases and portfolios and boxes out of car trunks, hug parents who are peering at each other with eyes that say, Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson