How to pronounce portion
Say it like POR-shun. Portion has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce portion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- POR
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Portion pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of portion
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: PAW-shun.
What does portion mean?
- something determined in relation to something that includes it“he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than himself”“I read a portion of the manuscript”
- something less than the whole of a human artifact“the rear part of the house”“glue the two parts together”
- the allotment of some amount by dividing something“death gets more than its share of attention from theologians”
- give out“We were assigned new uniforms”
Where does portion come from?
English portion From Middle English porcioun, borrowed from Old French porcion, accusative of Latin portiōnem (“a share, part, portion, relation, proportion”), from portiō, akin to pars (“part”); see part.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with portion
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of portion.
Questions about saying portion
How do you pronounce portion?
Say POR-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɔrʃən/. In British English it is /ˈpɔːʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in portion?
Portion has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POR). Broken into parts: POR · shun.
Is portion pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈpɔːʃən/ (PAW-shun).