portion English · revision 4752

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=a. 1300|origins=la portio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈpɔː.ʃən/, US /ˈpɔːr.ʃən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|porcioun]], [[bor|fro|porcion|t=part, portion]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and directly from [[la|portiō|t=share, part]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) a noun that was at first found only in the phrase prō portiōne “according to the relation of parts to each other”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) probably from *partiō “division”, related to pars “part”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*perh₃-|alt=*pere-|t=to grant, allot]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[proportion]], [[part]] and [[apportion]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The part of something allotted to one person, a share: before 1300 in the OED,^(OED 1989) before 1325 in Barnhart, in Cursor Mundi,^(Barnhart 1988) the early 14th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) where it also meant one's lot or fate.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A part of any whole, not necessarily allotted, is from 1340, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) An heir's share of an estate is from before 1340,^(OED 1989) and a dowry or marriage portion from 1511.^(OED 1989) A helping of food enough for one person is from 1484.^(OED 1989) The verb, to divide into shares, is from before 1338, in Mannyng,^(Barnhart 1988) and the sense “to give a dowry” is from 1712.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a. 1300 – a share.^(OED 1989)

+ * a. 1325 – one's lot or fate.^(OED 1989)

+ * a. 1338 – verb, to divide into shares.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1340 – a part of a whole.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1484 – a helping of food.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1511 – a dowry.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A part of something larger.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An amount of food for one person; a [[helping]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[share]] given to a person or group.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A [[dowry]], or the part of an estate an heir receives.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(literary)'' One's lot or fate.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To divide into parts or shares; to [[apportion]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[portionable]]

+ * [[portioner]]

+ * [[portionless]]

+ * [[preportion]]

+ * [[reportion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[proportion]]

+ * [[part]]

+ * [[apportion]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}