parting

American  

[pahr-ting] / ˈpɑr tɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that parts.

2. a division or separation.

3. a place of division or separation.

4. a departure or leave-taking.

5. death.

6. something that serves to part or separate things.

7. Mineralogy. a fracture of a crystal along a plane determined by twinning or pressure rather than along a cleavage plane.

8. Metallurgy. parting line.

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adjective

1. given, happening, taken, done, etc., at parting.

   a parting glance.

2. of or relating to parting, leave-taking, departure, or death.

   parting words.

3. ending or taking leave.

   the parting day.

4. dying.

5. dividing or separating.

parting British  

/ ˈpɑːtɪŋ /

noun

1. US, Canadian, and Austral equivalent: part.  the line of scalp showing when sections of hair are combed in opposite directions

2. the act of separating or the state of being separated

3. 1. a departure or leave-taking, esp one causing a final separation

   2. ( as modifier )

      a parting embrace

4. a place or line of separation or division

5. chem a division of a crystal along a plane that is not a cleavage plane

6. a euphemism for death

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adjective

1. literary departing

   the parting day

2. serving to divide or separate

Etymology

Origin of parting

1250–1300; Middle English partyng (gerund). See part, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Despite the parting shot from Kennedy, the US health secretary still speaks with Tedros on a regular basis.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Most employees would never dream of parting with their precious Lego sets, though.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Hollywood actor Tate Donovan is parting ways with the beautiful Texas property he has owned for the last decade, listing the picturesque dwelling for just a hair under $1.7 million, Realtor.com can reveal.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

In his parting remarks during that speech, he expressed confidence in the new leadership team of D’Amaro and Dana Walden, who is now president and chief creative officer of the company.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

The illicit payoffs were as yet unknown to the public, and as the barons moved toward the front of the Million Dollar Elm, they were treated as princes of capitalism, the crowd parting before them.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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