1. A section or quantity within a larger thing; a part of a whole. 2. A part separated from a whole. 3. A part that is allotted to a person or group, as: a. A helping of food. b. The part of an estate received by an heir. c. A woman's dowry. 4. A person's lot or fate.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: por·tioned, por·tion·ing, por·tions 1. To divide into parts or shares for distribution; parcel. 2. To provide with a share, inheritance, or dowry.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French, from Latin porti, portin-. See per-2 in Appendix I.
pôr
sh
n, p
r
