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.

---

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

---

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

Banks would be able to innovate to meet liquidity requirements, whereas the current ample-reserves system locks them into dependency on the Fed and its bond portfolio.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

UBS analyst David Dai upgraded BioNTech stock to Buy with a $135 price target, citing increasing conviction in its oncology portfolio.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

To save money, she agreed to move her portfolio elsewhere, but she was genuinely distraught over the loss of what she believed was a friendship with the financial planner.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

“This could prompt global portfolio reallocation into Japan, reduce Japanese demand for foreign bonds and contribute to upward yield pressure globally, including in the euro area,” the ECB said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

I need to finish a couple of sketches for my portfolio and study for my chem test on Monday.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam