portfolio

The story

1. Latin · derived fromportāre“to carry”
2. Italian · borrowed fromportafoglio
3. English todayportfolio

From Italian portafoglio; cognate with French portefeuille (“folder, wallet”), from Latin portāre (“to carry”) and folium (“sheet”). The meaning "collection of responsibilities" came by extension in the 1930s.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1720s A case for carrying papers, drawings, photographs, maps and other flat documents.
• from 1930s The post and the responsibilities of a cabinet minister or other head of a government department.
• from 1950s The group of investments and other assets held by an investor.