A portion is a part of something larger, especially the amount of something that's meant for one person or purpose. At dinner, each person receives a portion of food on their plate. When you divide a pizza among friends, you're giving each person their portion. In a recipe, the instructions might tell you it makes six portions, meaning six servings.

The word suggests a deliberate division rather than a random piece. A portion of your allowance might go into savings, another portion toward a goal you're working on. When a teacher assigns a portion of a chapter for homework, she's chosen a specific section that makes sense to read as a group.

You'll also hear portion used more formally in documents and agreements. An inheritance might be divided into portions among family members. A contract might specify what portion of the profits each partner receives.

Whether you're talking about a portion of cake, a portion of responsibility, or a portion of your day, the idea is the same: a distinct part separated from the whole, usually with some thought about what's appropriate or fair.