Portion
//ˈpoɹʃən// noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An allocated amount.
- 2 the allotment of some amount by dividing something wordnet
- 3 That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a whole; a separated part of anything.
- 4 something less than the whole of a human artifact wordnet
- 5 One's fate; lot.
"The Lord of that ſeruant […] will appoint him his portion with the vnbeleeuers."
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- 6 an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal wordnet
- 7 The part of an estate given or falling to a child or heir; an inheritance.
"Father, giue me the portion of goods that falleth to me."
- 8 money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage wordnet
- 9 A wife's fortune; a dowry.
"Commend me to her, and to piece her portion / Tender her this."
- 10 assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an individual person or group wordnet
- 11 something determined in relation to something that includes it wordnet
- 12 your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To divide into amounts, as for allocation to specific purposes. transitive
- 2 give out wordnet
- 3 To endow with a portion or inheritance. transitive
"Him portioned maids, apprenticed orphans, blest."
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"Tom got a small portion of pie."
Etymology
From Middle English porcioun, borrowed from Old French porcion, from Latin portio (“a share, part, portion, relation, proportion”), akin to pars (“part”); see part. Compare proportion.
Related phrases
More for "portion"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.