■ noun
1》 a part or share.
↘an amount of food suitable for or served to one person.
↘ Law the part or share of an estate given or descending by law to an heir.
2》 archaic a person's destiny or lot.
3》 (also marriage ~ ) archaic a dowry.
■ verb
1》 divide into ~s and share out.
2》 archaic give a dowry to.
Derivatives
~less adjective ( archaic ).
Origin
ME: from OFr. porcion , from L. portio(n-) , from the phr. pro ~e 'in pro~'.