party

American  

[pahr-tee] / ˈpɑr ti /

noun

parties plural

1. a social gathering, as of invited guests at a private home, for conversation, refreshments, entertainment, etc..

   a cocktail party.

   Synonyms:

   assemblage, meeting

2. a group gathered for a special purpose or task.

   a fishing party; a search party.

3. a detachment, squad, or detail of troops assigned to perform some particular mission or service.

4. a group of persons with common purposes or opinions who support one side of a dispute, question, debate, etc.

   Synonyms:

   ring, coterie, circle, faction

5. a group of persons with common political opinions and purposes organized for gaining political influence and governmental control and for directing government policy.

   the Republican Party; the Democratic Party.

6. the system of taking sides on public or political questions or the like.

7. attachment or devotion to one side or faction; partisanship.

   to put considerations of party first.

8. Law.

   1. one of the litigants in a legal proceeding; a plaintiff or defendant in a suit.

   2. a signatory to a legal instrument.

   3. a person participating in or otherwise privy to a crime.

9. a person or group that participates in some action, affair, plan, etc.; participant.

   He was a party to the merger deal.

10. the person under consideration; a specific individual.

    The package was delivered to the wrong party.

11. a person or, usually, two or more persons together patronizing a restaurant, attending a social or cultural function, etc..

    The headwaiter asked how many were in our party; a party of 12 French physicists touring the labs; a party of one at the small table.

12. a person participating in a telephone conversation.

    I have your party on the line.

13. any occasion or activity likened to a social party, as specified; session.

    The couple in the next apartment are having their usual dish-throwing party.

14. something lively, stimulating, or bustling: That plastic water bottle is a germ party.

    It’s so delicious, it’s like a party in your mouth.

    That plastic water bottle is a germ party.

15. an advantageous or pleasurable situation or combination of circumstances of some duration and often of questionable character; period of content, license, exemption, etc..

    The police broke in and suddenly the party was over for the nation's most notorious gunman.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a party or faction; partisan.

   party leaders.

2. of or for a social gathering.

   her new party dress.

3. being shared by or pertaining to two or more persons or things.

4. Heraldry. (of an escutcheon) having the field divided into a number of parts, usually two; parted.

verb (used without object)

Informal.

parties, present (3rd person singular) partied, past participle, past partying present participle

1. to go to or give parties, especially a series of parties.

2. to enjoy oneself thoroughly and without restraint; indulge in pleasure.

party British  

/ ˈpɑːtɪ /

noun

1. 1. a social gathering for pleasure, often held as a celebration

   2. ( as modifier )

      party spirit

   3. ( in combination )

      partygoer

2. a group of people associated in some activity

   a rescue party

3. 1. (often capital) a group of people organized together to further a common political aim, such as the election of its candidates to public office

   2. ( as modifier )

      party politics

4. the practice of taking sides on public issues

5. a person, esp one who participates in some activity such as entering into a contract

6. the person or persons taking part in legal proceedings, such as plaintiff or prosecutor

   a party to the action

7. informal a person

   he's an odd old party

8. to take part or become involved

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verb

1. informal to celebrate; revel

adjective

1. heraldry (of a shield) divided vertically into two colours, metals, or furs

party Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing party

• life of the party

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Usage

Party meaning “a specific individual” is old in the language, going back to the 15th century, and was formerly in common use. Today, it remains standard in limited senses, chiefly the legal, and is often used humorously or condescendingly: the party holding the balloon. The word person is the neutral and common term.

Synonym Usage

See company.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subparty
  noun
• interparty
  adjective
• nonparty
  adjective
• partyless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• parties
  plural

Participles

• partying
  present
• partied
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• party
  simple
• parties
  simple
• have partied
  perfect
• has partied
  perfect
• am partying
  progressive
• are partying
  progressive
• is partying
  progressive
• have been partying
  perfect progressive
• has been partying
  perfect progressive

Past

• partied
  simple
• had partied
  perfect
• was partying
  progressive
• were partying
  progressive
• had been partying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will party
  simple
• will have partied
  perfect
• will be partying
  progressive
• will have been partying
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of party

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English partie, paarty, from Old French, noun use of feminine of parti, past participle of partir “to divide, separate, go away,” from Latin partīre “to share, divide”; see part

Explanation

If you have a party, you invite people who will likely get along and like each other. If you join a political party, you choose the one whose members share your views. Party comes from part, which means "a division in the whole." You can see this in political parties: the groups that make up the whole of voters in a nation. Party also means "person or group," which we are reminded of at restaurants when asked, "How many are in your party?" This is how party as in "a social gathering" or as a verb — the act of enjoying yourself at such a gathering — came about.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

party parties partied partying

Mechanic remembered a party sometime pre-presidency for Witkoff’s wife, Lauren, where Trump was beamed in via video with a birthday greeting, but he couldn’t place when that was.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

Shawn Ryan, whose YouTube show has 5.7 million subscribers, interviewed Owens, as a neutral party, to simply hear her out.

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026

"Don't worry about the dog, just answer the question," replied journalist Sarah Ferguson, who was grilling Joyce on his party leader Pauline Hanson's recent meeting with far-right British figurehead Tommy Robinson.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Ghana's main opposition party has reacted with anger after one of its most influential leaders was sentenced to 20 years in jail, with hard labour, for illegal mining offences.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Mom used to greet party guests with glasses of champagne, her satin cocktail dress swishing above her knees and her high heels clicking against the wood floor.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

There may be some surprise at Benn's exit from government as he had just started talks with the Stormont parties and treasury officials in a bid to agree a multi-year budget after months of stalemate.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

The party was held at the Patriot’s Bar, a flag-filled watering hole at JPMorgan’s new skyscraper where Dimon has been hosting parties and social gatherings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

According to a Pew Research Center survey released in October 2025, large majorities of Americans are unhappy with both political parties.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke have received support from most of the major opposition parties, farmer leaders, activist and celebrities, including Bollywood actors.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Soon the villagers would discover her absence and search parties would go out.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

One night in 1768, Christian VII of Denmark partied all night at Carlisle House and was later inspired to hold a 1,500-guest masquerade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Even connections to the Club Chemistry nightclub – where 11 out of the first 15 affected had partied – do not give a complete picture.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

They partied among the peñas, but never of them.

From Salon ● Nov. 8, 2025

He even partied with opposition players after one of the worst defeats of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025

“You mean you guys actually glean? I thought you just partied and spent other people’s money.”

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

To locate the immune cells that were "partying all night," as Macauley described them, the researchers also used a technique called light sheet microscopy.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026

Attacking numbers at the 2026 World Cup have also been sobering amid a summer of Tartan Army partying across Boston and Miami.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

It’s like, “Wait, you’re getting married, but you’re still partying the way that we did when we were in college.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

He reasoned authorities did not arrest them because people out partying "won't focus on the resistance".

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

I was standing in a long dingy bar with black walls, neon signs, and a bunch of partying adults.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• association
• bloc
• body
• faction
• side
• union