Portion
/ˈpɔːr.ʃən/noun
A part or share of a whole, especially an amount allotted to someone.
Did you know?Portion comes through Old French from Latin *portio*, a “share” or “part,” and it shares an ancient root with words of carrying and bearing—so a “portion” is, historically, what gets carried off from the whole.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“to carry, pass over, or apportion”
Latin
Latin
portio
“a share, part, or portion”
Old French
Old French
porcion
“a share, allotment, or part”
Middle English
English
porcion
“a share or part assigned to someone”
Modern English
English
portion
“a part or share of a whole”
Explore more surprising origins