portion

[ pawr-shuhn, pohr- ]

noun

1. a part of any whole, either separated from or integrated with it:

   I read a portion of the manuscript.

   Synonyms: segment, section

   Antonyms: whole

2. an amount of food served for one person; serving; helping:

   He took a large portion of spinach.

   Synonyms: ration

3. the part of a whole allotted to or belonging to a person or group; share.

   Synonyms: dividend, lot, quota, allotment

4. the part of an estate that goes to an heir or a next of kin.

   Synonyms: inheritance

5. Literary. something that is allotted to a person by God or fate.

   Synonyms: doom, destiny, lot, fortune

6. (especially formerly) the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband at marriage; dowry.

verb (used with object)

1. to divide into or distribute in portions or shares (often followed by out ).

   Synonyms: apportion, allot

2. to furnish with a portion, as with an inheritance or a dowry:

   All of his children have been amply portioned.

   Synonyms: endow

3. to provide with a lot or fate:

   She was portioned with sorrow throughout her life.

portion

/ ˈpɔːʃən /

noun

1. a part of a whole; fraction
2. a part allotted or belonging to a person or group
3. an amount of food served to one person; helping
4. law
   1. a share of property, esp one coming to a child from the estate of his parents
   2. the property given by a woman to her husband at marriage; dowry
5. a person's lot or destiny

verb

1. to divide up; share out
2. to give a share to (a person); assign or allocate
3. law to give a dowry or portion to (a person); endow

Derived Forms

• ˈportionless, adjective

Other Words From

• portion·a·ble adjective
• portion·less adjective
• re·portion verb (used with object)
• un·portion·a·ble adjective
• un·portioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of portion¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English porcion, from Old French, from Latin portiōn- (stem of portiō ) “share, part,” akin to pars part

Word History and Origins

Origin of portion¹

C13: via Old French from Latin portiō portion, allocation; related to pars part

Synonym Study

See part.

Example Sentences

Junior point guard Dylan Andrews, who sat out the Bruins’ victory over Boston University on Monday with a groin injury, remained sidelined for the portion of practice reporters were allowed to observe Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times

To a sizable portion of members, the decision was an abomination, and it provoked a mutiny.

From Salon

They were all part of what the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center described as a marked uptick in white supremacist activity, a small but growing portion of which is environmentally focused.

From Salon

Currently, treated effluent from the plant is released into the Los Angeles River in the Sepulveda Basin, providing a significant portion of the river’s flow in the area during dry times.

From Los Angeles Times

“We have to have a larger portion of our groundwater recharge coming from managing rainwater, in getting rid of impervious surfaces and letting it infiltrate,” Winter said.

From Los Angeles Times